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Magic of Istanbul & the Nile

by kathy

October 18th, 2014

Tour Egypt and Turkey
The Two Gems of the East Mediterranean
All in a 12-day Honeymoon Wishes Tour

Tour

DAY 1 – ISTANBUL- Thursday – Weekly in Istanbul – Year Round (B)
Upon arrival at Istanbul, you’re met at the airport by our representative, who sees you to your hotel, and answers any questions you may have about getting to know the city. As you ride into the great metropolis from the airport, two thousand years of history are revealed: towering Roman walls, ancient Byzantine churches, slender minarets framing the bulbous domes of graceful mosques. These ancient monuments float on the skyline of a bustling modern metropolis of ten million people. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur for all your transfers in Turkey and Egypt.

DAY 2 – ISTANBUL- Friday (BL)
The center of ancient Constantinople and Istanbul was on Seraglio Point, framed by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. We visit the Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet III to challenge the architectural primacy of neighboring Sancta Sophia. We then walk next door to compare achievements in Justinian’s great Sancta Sophia. Right behind Sancta Sophia is our next stop, sumptuous Topkapi Palace, the sultans’ seraglio for centuries, filled with breathtaking exhibits of priceless jewels, golden thrones, delicate colored tiles, and lavish court costumes. We finish up in the bustling Grand Bazaar, where you can find jewelry, carpets, goat-hair rugs, hand-painted ceramics, copper and brass in labyrinthine streets holding nearly 4000 shops. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide.

Video by touropia

DAY 3 – ISTANBUL- Saturday (BL)
ISTANBUL – “Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque” (late 19th century), the exotic romance of the “Paris of the East”

Morning walking tour: We start with our guide in Karaköy where the foreign bankers and shipping companies had their headquarters, then take the Tünel up to istiklal Caddesi; stop in the whirling dervish tekke, and walk past the various old embassy buildings (now consulates), and point out the architecture. Stop for tea (included) at the famous Pera Palace Hotel. Walk at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and have lunch in the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then walk up to Taksim Square and be picked up for the afternoon tour.

In the afternoon the tour visit Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri, a mini-palace south of Yildiz, and finish up with a visit to the Military History Museum in Harbiye in time to hear the “Mehter,” or Ottoman military band (mid-afternoon).

Then go on a shopping spree at the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar. Breakfast, Lunch. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 4- ISTANBUL- Sunday (B)
Full day on your own in Istanbul, one last chance for shopping spree in the legendary covered Bazaar. Istanbul is all yours, any way you like it. Grab your Lonely Planet guidebook and stroll along the restored 19th-century thoroughfare of Istiklal Caddesi, once known as the Grand Rue, DE Péra. Search for spices and folk remedies in the Egyptian Bazaar. Admire the medieval mosaics in the city’s many Byzantine churches. Shop in the chic boutiques around Taksim Square. Climb the Galata Tower, built by the Genoese six centuries ago, for a panoramic view of Old Istanbul. If you prefer to spend more time in Cairo rather than Istanbul, please click here.

DAY 5- ISTANBUL, CAIRO- Monday (B)
Air fare is included between Istanbul and Cairo in economy class, tax included. After breakfast our local representative will take you to the airport to catch your flight for Cairo, where our local rep. whisks you through the excitement and hubbub of the terminal, and onward to your hotel.

VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport
Our local representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel. Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for: Australian, NZ, American, EU, Canadian & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order and valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.

Visa will be issued upon arrival. As you exit the gate, you will pass through a door or two, down some stairs, then walk for 2-5 minutes, until you pass the duty free shops. At the end of a wide corridor, you will see the security officers. There you will be met by a local representative, who will be holding a sign with your name. Our local representative will then take your passport to obtain a stamp from the cashier / bank window and escort you to speak with the passport officer. He will escort you through another last check on your passport as you exit the passport control into the customs area. He will assist you in collecting your luggage and clearing customs. After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel.

DAY 6 – CAIRO- Tuesday (BL)
Today, you’ll explore the wonders of the Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones and metals. Travellers have long come to Cairo just to gaze on these sights, but your day has just started. You’ll also see the Citadel of Saladin and the alabaster mosque of Mohammed Ali. In Giza, on the edge of the desert, you’ll gaze in awe at the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 7 – Wednesday – ASWAN – Nile Cruise (BLD)
Enjoy an breakfast before you fly to Aswan (or Luxor) in Upper Egypt. You’ll arrive in time to take lunch aboard your Nile cruiser. We’ll have the opportunity to experience Egypt at its most authentic, as we sail the Nile in a graceful felucca. If you wish, try your hand at camel riding! We’ll take a traditional caravan to enjoy tea with Nubian villagers.

DAY 8 – Onboard Your Nile Cruise – ASWAN, KOM OMBO- Thursday (BLD)
First we tour new Nubian Museum then the dams at Aswan, including the High Dam, a modern wonder in this ancient land, and next an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to the the Island temple of Philae, rescued from rising waters it was moved to this island after building the High Dam. dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS.

Back aboard our cruiser, we’ll sail northward down the Nile at a stately pace, disembarking for a visit to Kom Ombo, the twin temple dedicated to the crocodile river god, Sobek.

Video by electrakate

DAY 9 – Nile Cruising EDFU, ESNA- Friday (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages or vans will meet us at the riverside to take us through Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Later, we’ll cruise to Esna, and by evening, we’ll be in fabled Luxor.

DAY 10 – Cruising The Nile: LUXOR- Saturday (BLD)
We tour today as well the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings, including Tutankaomn’s tomb, and the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, we stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to our cruise.

Afterward, we’ll continue on Luxor’s west bank to get a totally different perspective on ancient Egyptian life, at the ancient workers’ settlement of Deir el-Medinah. While most of the imposing stone monuments and sites of Egypt honor the lives and after-lives of royalty, Deir el-Medinah gives us unique and surprising insights into the ordinary citizens who constructed and decorated the tombs.

Here we’ll see the excavated homes shared by laborers with their domestic animals. These quarters were surprisingly large, with three good-sized rooms, courtyard, kitchen, and even storage cellars. While ancient Egypt might not have been a workers’ paradise, we’ll see that artisans and builders were highly regarded in their community. We are proud to be the only operator to offer regular visits to this singular ancient settlement in its tour and cruise programs.

DAY 11 – LUXOR, CAIRO- Sunday (BD)
We’ll visit the imposing Great Temple of Amon at Karnak and the great Temple of Luxor before heading to the airport to catch our flight to Cairo. After we settle you into your hotel, you’ll have your last opportunity to experience the excitement of this great city and, of course, do some last-minute shopping. Dinner is included this evening at a charming local restaurant.

DAY 12 – RETURN HOME- Monday (B)
Our Cairo-based local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight home.

RATES per person in double occupancy in US$:

All cabins on the Nile cruise are outside cabins with two lower beds, all with panoramic windows.
For children: 2-10 years of age: 20 % discount will apply when sharing with parents in a double room

Rates per person in US$: Minimum 2-3 Guests:
	Deluxe Hotels	First Class Hotels	Tourist Class Hotels
Triple	$ 4650.	$ 4339.	$ 3860.
Double	$ 4780.	$ 4460.	$ 3980.
Single	$ 5929.	$ 5650.	$ 4610.
For Dec 20 – Jan 5, Easter: Please add 20 % supplement to any of the rates

Rates per person in US$: Minimum 4-5 Guests:
	Deluxe Hotels	First Class Hotels	Tourist Class Hotels
Triple	$ 4445.	$ 4145.	$ 3795.
Double	$ 4575.	$ 4298.	$ 3899.
Single	$ 5691.	$ 5555.	$ 4341.
For Dec 20 – Jan 5, Easter: Please add 20 % supplement to any of the rates

Sample Deluxe Nile Cruise:

Movenpick Nile Cruises: M/S Royal Lotus. M/S Royal Lily, M/S Mojito, M/S Monaco or M/S Monte Carlo Nile Cruise, M/S Adonis, M/S Beau Soleil, M/S Florence, M/S Lady Diana

Sample First Class Nile Cruise:

M/S Nile Dream, M/S Ruby

Sample hotels, or similar:
	Deluxe	First class Hotels
Istanbul	Marmara	The Arena, Armada, Blue House, Senator
Cairo	Hilton, Sheraton, Sonesta	Shepherds, Oases
Nile Cruise	M/S Monaco, M/S Mojito, M/S Queen of Hansa. M/S Royal Ruby, M/S Beau Soleil, M/S Lady Diana	M/S Nile Dream, M/S Ruby

Rate includes:

Five day Nile cruise, including all meals and shore excursions..
Guided tours as listed, including all entrance fees. Private Guide in Cairo, Istanbul & on board the cruise, for all the shore excursions.
Private car/driver for all airport/hotel/cruise transfers.
Hotel accommodation as mentioned, including tax and service charges, and breakfast daily.
Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
Airport greeting and assistance. Transportation between airports, hotels, and port.
One-way air transportation Istanbul and Cairo. Economy class with tax
Domestic air flights within Egypt in economy class, tax included.

VIP Meet & Greet Service @ Cairo Airport
Our local representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport.
Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for: Australian, NZ, American, EU, Canadian & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.
Egyptian Visa will be issued upon arrival. As you exit the gate, you will pass through a door or two, down some stairs, then walk for 2-5 minutes, until you pass the duty free shops, at the end of a wide corridor, you will see the security officers. There you will be met by a local representative, who will be holding a sign with your name.
Our local representative will then take your passport to obtain a stamp from the cashier / bank window and escort you to speak with the passport officer. He will escort you through another last check on your passport as you exit the passport control, into customs area, he will assist you in collecting your luggage and clearing customs. After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel.

Not Included:

Trip interruption and cancellation insurance.
Tips
Visa Fee: (procure yours online in advance of travel at www.evisa.gov.tr/en/)
Additional personal expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically mentioned in the itinerary

Categories EgyptTurkey_multi, Turkey, Turkey Egypt

The Best of Egypt and Jordan (17 Days)

by kathy

August 14th, 2014

With a Nile Cruise and Camping in Wadi Rum
Abu Simbel Mighty Nubian Temples & Jerash
All in 17 Days

Abu Simbel Temples.
By Grosty (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The best way to see the best of these two gems of the Near East in 17 days. See the top sights in Egypt (Cairo, Giza and a 5-day cruise along the Nile) and Jordan, Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum (including camping), Jerash, and the Dead Sea.

Tour

DAY 1: CAIRO Tour Starts Wednesday – Weekly Year Round
On arrival our local representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel. Visa may be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport.

VIP Meet & Greet
Upon arrival at Cairo Airport, visa issued locally in Cairo (for a limited number of nationalities), no photos required. Our representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order and valid for at least for 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our will local rep. meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room with our compliments.

DAY 2: CAIRO (BLD) – Thursday
On your first full day in Egypt we will show you the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummies Room, and King Tut’s Gold Treasure room and then on to the Islamic Art Museum, Saladin’s Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque. Lunch is included at Naguib Mahfouz or Hadaik el-Azhar, followed by a walking tour of Khan El Khalili and Muezzledeenallah districts. Dinner is included at La Bodega restaurant.

DAY 3: CAIRO – GIZA (BLD) – Friday
Breakfast is always included at the hotel. Today we drive to the edge of the desert to admire the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and Cheops Royal Barge Museum. Lunch is included at the Mena House. In the afternoon we tour Memphis, Sakkara and the small yet charming Imhotep Museum, of course we include the Step Pyramid and Nobles Tombs, and stop at el Harania, before heading back to the hotel. Dinner is included Abu El Sid restaurant.

DAY 4: LUXOR! Board your Nile Cruise (BLD) – Saturday
We fly to LUXOR (or Aswan), in Luxor we proceed to cross the Nile to the West Bank. We tour today as the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings including Tut-Ank-Amon’s tomb and the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, we stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to our cruise. and board our Nile cruiser in time for a delicious lunch. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin.The gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple of Luxor are our goals in the afternoon. We’ll return in time for the afternoon tea served on deck. You’ll have a chance to explore your ship before dinner.

First class Nile Cruise: M/S Nile Dream, M/S Granada or similar
Deluxe: M/S Mojito or M/S Radamis II or similar
Ultra Deluxe: Sonesta Moon Goddess – Aswan to Luxor- 04 Nights/05 Days, in which case will amend draft to be boarding the cruise Tuesday from Aswan (we will e.mail you the program accordingly, need to start in Cairo: Saturday to board the cruise Tuesday)

DAY 5: LUXOR, EDFU (BLD) – Sunday
We sail to Esna to go through the locks, and on to Edfu where we dock for the night. In the evening, we’ll celebrate in Egyptian style, dressed in galabias, the flowing national costume. A galabya will be delivered to your cabin with our compliments.

DAY 6: EDFU, KOM OMBO (BLD) – Monday
We moor in Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt’s best-preserved temple. Re-embarking on our Nile cruiser, we enjoy lunch as we sail further south upriver. We disembark downstream at Kom Ombo to visit the twin temples of Haroeris, the sun god, and Sobek, the crocodile god, then continue our voyage to Aswan, while we party after dinner with music and dance.

DAY 7: CAMEL CARAVAN, NUBIAN VILLAGE, ASWAN (BLD) – Tuesday
First we tour Aswan dams, then on to the new Nubian Museum. From there we will proceed to the awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to the Island temple of Philae, dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS: “I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever seen me unveiled.”

Called Aset by the ancient Egyptians, the goddess was a Madonna in the Mediterranean tradition that stretches far, far back to the primitive Mother Goddess from Anatolia, home to some of the oldest human communities on earth.

Isis was the powerful and quick-witted protector of her son Horus, the Sun God. Ancient peoples throughout the Mediterranean regarded Isis and Horus as the perfect Madonna and Child. Another legend says she was also the mother of the fertility god Min who, judging from the depiction of him on temple walls, needed no help from Viagra!

In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile. For those who are interested: a short camel caravan & ride is included to visit a local Nubian Village. Our farewell dinner this evening is a buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by a show featuring oriental performers, including of course a belly dancer.

DAY 8: ASWAN, Abu Simbel – CAIRO (BL) – Wednesday
Breakfast is always included. We’ve planned our visit to Abu Simbel to be a highlight of your Egyptian adventure. Rising before dawn, we drive along the shore of Lake Nasser, watching the sky lighten and the sacred sun rise above the horizon. We reach the great temples while the air is clean, clear and cool, and the sun’s light still golden; just right for photographs. Due to strict security measures, we are required to follow a Tourist police escort whenever we go through any desert highway, even when we go along Lake Nasser, departure time may be changed based on Tourist Police escort request.

In Abu Simbel, we explore Ramses the Great larger temple, colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by his queen and daughters. The smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, who appears as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the benevolent cow. We explore these fine temples, admiring their ancient aura and artistry, after which retire to a comfortable hotel for refreshments and our lunch box.

Fly back to Aswan and connect to Cairo, air fare is included in our rate, economy class, tax included. In Cairo, we escort you back to your hotel.

A complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town).
This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions. Just let us know your preferences.

DAY 9: AMMAN – JORDAN (B) – Thursday
After breakfast, our local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight to Jordan (air ticket included in our rate, in economy class with tax). All transfers are always included and are provided on a private basis. We’ll pick you up from Queen Alia Airport, proceed to Amman for check-in and overnight at your hotel.

DAY 10: MADABA, KERAK – PETRA (BL) – Friday
We drive south along the King’s Highway, an ancient caravan route, to Madaba to visit the church containing the oldest known map of the Holy Land. Continuing to Mount Nebo, we enjoy the panoramic view of the Promised Land the way Moses saw it for the first time. Further on, at Kerak, we tour the ruins of its romantic Crusaders’ castle of Renaud de Chatillon, one of a line which stretched from Aqaba to Turkey. Finally, we arrive to PETRA. Lunch is included enroute. Sample Deluxe Hotels: Marriott Petra and Mövenpick Petra.

DAY 11: PETRA (BD) – Saturday
Today the fabulous Nabatean City of Petra awaits us. Made famous in the Indiana Jones movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” its ancient temples, tombs and striking Khazneh (Treasury) were hewn right from the pink and violet sandstone. We spend a full day here, and another night.

This evening, we will enjoy:
The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza and salads, and a main course—all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

The Petra Kitchen offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special dining experience, with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward well-earned. Great care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly Jordanian experience—right down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Co-operative, and the aprons and table linens, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation.

The rate includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

DAY 12: Wadi Rum – Luxury Camping (BLD) – Sunday
Breakfast is included at the hotel. We board four-wheel-drive vehicles for an expedition to Wadi Rum, the “Valley of the Moon” where T. E. Lawrence (“Lawrence of Arabia”) organized Arab resistance to Ottoman rule during World War I. Lunch box is included. After our visit we head to one of the local camp sites, It is essential to take several layers of clothes, including warm layers, this is desert weather, so there is a great drop and / or increase in temperatures with sunrise / sunset, After our visit we head to one of the local camp sites. It is essential to take several layers of clothes, including warm layers, as this is desert weather, so there is a great drop and / or increase in temperatures with sunrise / sunset.

Sample camp site: the Luxury Camping: Sun City Camp (Wadi Rum) , or the RSCN Rummana Campsite at the Dana Nature Reserve. Dinner is included camp style. Your guide will always be available on hand, and will be escorting you at all times. Tours are always on a private basis. Private air-conditioned vehicle. Private Chauffeur and private guide.

DAY 13: WADI RUM – Dead Sea Resort (BL) – Monday
Breakfast is included at the hotel. We head northwards to Pella in the Jordan Valley. Visit Um Qais, Gedara of the Bible (Matthew 8:28-34) for a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee, the Yarmouk River. Lunch is included enroute in one of the local restaurants, then head to the Dead Sea resort area and overnight. Sample Hotels: First Class: Dead Sea Hotel or similar. deluxe: Mövenpick Dead Sea or similar. Ultra Deluxe: Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea or similar.

DAY 14: JERASH (BL) – Tuesday
We drive to Jerash, among the best-preserved Roman cities in the world, to tour its temples, theaters, churches and colonnaded streets. Lunch is included as well today in one of the local restaurants before we head back to the Dead Sea.

DAY 15 & 16: The Dead Sea (B) – Monday & Tuesday
Breakfast at the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure, as you enjoy the lowest geological spot on Earth and maybe experience floating in the waters of the Dead Sea.

DAY 17: The Dead Sea – Amman Airport, Departure (B) – Wednesday
After breakfast, transfer back to Queen Alia Airport. Private air condition car for your transfer. Private chauffeur. Salam and Bon Voyage!

Private Tour RATES per person in USD
Private Tour Rate	Triple	Double	Single
First Class hotels Golden Tulip Hotel Level- Economy class regional air fare	$ 5060.	$ 5181.	$ 6160.
Deluxe Hotels Meridien, Hilton, Sheraton: Level Hotels Economy class regional air fare	$ 5680.	$ 5774.	$ 6858.
Ultra Deluxe Hotels Four Seasons Level Hotels Standard Room, but in Cairo it is Nile View Room. Business class regional air fare	$ 7560.	$ 7690.	$ 8570.

For Easter Holiday as well as Christmas/New Years: Please add %15 supplement to the rates.
Children Discount : 30 % on the adult double rate, child must be younger than 12 years of age, must be traveling with a minimum of 2 adults.

Your locally escorted tour includes:

All airport / hotel/cruise transfers, on a private basis as per itinerary.
Air fare between Cairo and Amman in ” Y” economy class, tax included. But business class for Ultra Deluxe.
Accommodation with breakfast and tax.
Pre-set menu meals as listed: “L” = lunch, “D” = dinner (as indicated in the itinerary).
Services of local professional guides.
Admission fees to museums and sites as detailed in the itinerary.
Domestic air tickets within Egypt “Y” economy class with tax. But business class for Ultra Deluxe.
Nile Cruise with all meals and shore excursions.
- Cruise shore excursions: You will be part of a group: 10-15 English speaking guests.
- While on board the cruise:
  - Bottled water (one per person) delivered to your cabin daily while you are on board the cruise.
  - Tea or coffee /bottled water with each meal while on board the cruise.
  - Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin.
  - Complimentary galabya on board the cruise for the costume party.
VIP Meet & Greet At Cairo Airport. Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport (photos are not required).
Egyptian Visa will be issued for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order and valid for at least for 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. meets with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room in Cairo upon arrival with our compliments.
In Jordan: For your convenience: Wi-Fi internet access and mineral water with soft drinks are available in Jordan on board of all the vehicle for our VIP guests.
Visa for Jordan, will be issued upon arrival at Amman Airport ( all visas regulations are subject to change without notice)

The tour does not include:

International airfare from / to your home country.
Travel Insurance.
tips.
Personal expenditures (beverages, laundry, special meals, etc.)

Categories Egypt, EgyptJordan_multi, IndianaJones_multi, Jordan

Grand Tour of Arabia (15 Days)

by kathy

May 9th, 2014

Luxury Tour of Dubai, Cairo and
Jordan a la Indiana Jones
A 15-Day Adventure of These
Three Gems of Arabia Including Petra

Petra © Vladyslav Siaber | Dreamstime.com

Tour

DAY 1 – AMMAN: Tuesday – Weekly Year Round (B)
In Amman you will meet our local rep after you clear passports and customs formalities and escort you to your hotel.

DAY 2 – AMMAN: Wednesday (BLD)
After breakfast we will start with a city tour of Amman, the capital of the Hashimite Kingdom. Often referred to as the “White City” because of the white stone used to build houses, Amman offers a contrast between oriental and cosmopolitan. The tour will take you to the museums, the Citadel, the amphitheater, the souks and the modern part of town. The tour will also include a stop at the “Wild Jordan Café.” Wild Jordan is the vision of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), a non-governmental organization devoted to the care and protection of Jordan’s natural heritage. The Society was created in 1966 under the patronage of His Majesty, the late King Hussein. Its work is focused on the establishment of protected areas (nature reserves), enforcement of wildlife protection laws. Construction of the Wild Jordan Center was financed by USAID Jordan. It’s located in the heart of old Amman overlooking the Temple of Hercules. the Café serves all nature and organic foods and drinks. Two whole floors are devoted to the unique crafts and gifts made by the people living around Jordan’s nature reserves, like Dana and Mujib. All the crafts are inspired by nature and use natural materials. Here is their web site for more info: Wild Jordan

In the afternoon, the group will proceed to the North of Amman for a 45 minute drive to the best preserved example of Roman civilization, the city of Jerash. Jerash, part of the Decapolis (the ten big Roman cities of the East) has been called the Pompeii of the East for its unique state of preservation. The city features theaters, churches, temples (Zeus and Artemis), a Nymphaeum and colonnaded streets. Lunch will be served at Jerash Rest house. In the late afternoon, the group will return back to Amman where they will have dinner at Kan Zaman Restaurant. The walled village of Kan Zaman is an old Ottoman settlement, located minutes from city center. It was transformed into a replica of an Jordanian village, affording its clientele the experience of the of life in such a village. The handicraft center sells only products made on-site in various little studios where one can watch craftsmen practice their trade. The Main Restaurant offers a variety of home-made Arabic food and at least 16 salads and appetizers. After dinner you will head back to Amman for an overnight stay in Amman.

DAY 3 – PETRA: Thursday (BLD)
Depart Amman to Petra via the Kings’ Road. En route, visit the mosaic city of Madaba, where the oldest map of the Holy Land exists on the floor of Saint George’s Church. Madaba, or Medeba in antiquity, features many famous mosaics that exist in public and private buildings. After Madaba, a short drive will bring you to Mt. Nebo, the alleged burial site of Moses overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Here Franciscans have built a structure that protects a 4th and 6th Century Byzantine church. After visiting this site, continue on via the scenic canyons of Wadi Mujib (Arnon’s Valley in the Bible) to the Crusader castle at Kerak. This 12th Century hill top fortress features galleries, towers, chapels and ramparts that recall the gallantry of the Crusaders themselves. Then on to Petra for the check in at your Hotel in Petra, dinner and overnight. Lunch is included enroute.

In the evening we will call on you for a unique experience.
Dine as a local: The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza (appetizers), salads, and a main course all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

The Petra Kitchen offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special dining experience, with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward well-earned. Great care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly Jordanian experience right down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Co-operative, and the aprons and table linens, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation.

Tour experience tonight includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

DAY 4 – PETRA: Friday (BD)
We’ll spend the entire day at Petra, the stunning desert city hewn by the Nabateans from solid cliffs of pink and violet sandstone. Petra was known in the bible as Sela, and rediscovered only in 1812. You’ll feel like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark as you penetrate into the city through a narrow sandstone gorge, the Siq, and wander among the Temple of the Winged Lion, tombs, Roman theater, and the imposing Treasury.

Petra has a lot to tell. The visit starts at the visitor’s center, where each person is assigned a Bedouin guided horse for the journey to the entrance of the lost city. After passing some tombs which are located outside the city, the visitor passes through the SIQ, an immense crack in the Nubian sandstone. It is a winding, one-kilometer-long fissure between overhanging cliffs that seem to meet more than 300 feet overhead.

Near the end of the passage, the SIQ, with great style, makes one last turn and out of the gloom in towering brightness appears Petra’s most impressive monument, el Khazneh – The Treasury. This is one of the most elegant remains of antiquity, carved out of the solid rock from the side of the mountain, is nearly 140 feet high and 90 feet wide.

Beyond el Khazneh the visitor is surrounded on both sides by hundreds of Petra’s carved and built structures, soaring temples, elaborate royal tombs, a carved Roman theater, large and small houses, burial chambers and much more. The Victorian traveler and poet, Dean Burgon, gave Petra a description which holds to this day – “Match me such a marvel save in Eastern clime, a rose-red city half as old as time.” After that, the group will return to the hotel to get prepared for a Moonlight dinner served at a Bedouin camp. This evening we have a fantastic traditional dinner under the stars in a Bedouin camp, at a site that dates back more than 2,000 years.

DAY 5 – Wadi Rum – The Dead Sea: Saturday (BL)
We board four-wheel-drive vehicles for an expedition to Wadi Rum, the “Valley of the Moon” where T. E. Lawrence (“Lawrence of Arabia”) organized Arab resistance to Ottoman rule during World War I. After our visit, we break for tea with the bedouins then head off north to the Dead Sea and your hotel resort. Deluxe: Movenpick Dead Sea or Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea. First class: Dead Sea Spa Hotel. Lunch is included enroute.

DAY 6 – Jordan – Dubai: Sunday (BD)
We’ll meet at your hotel and escort you to the Airport for your flight to Dubai. Air fare is included in our rate in economy class. Arrive at Dubai International Airport at the United Arab Emirate on the Arabian Gulf. Complimentary visa will be issued upon arrival for the following nationalities; UK, EU, Switzerland, Sweden, USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei. You are responsible for having a valid passport. Upon arrival our local rep will meet you and escort you to your hotel. Complimentary welcome dinner at the hotel.

Dubai: A taste of Arabia with a cosmopolitan lifestyle. In Dubai you’ll find year round sunshine and un-crowded, clean sandy beaches. In this crime-free society you’ll find a very warm & welcoming team & society awaiting you in Dubai. While shopping may not be high on your list, you will find Dubai’s tax free markets means bargains galore. Attractive traditional Middle Eastern gifts – coffee pots, rugs, silverware, jewelry, brass, and one of the world’s greatest gold trading centers offering unbeatable value. Hong Kong is no longer able to compete with Dubai with the wide selection of low-priced international brand name products – audio equipment, VCRs, cameras, watches, fashions, perfumes and more. And don’t forget about the award-winning Dubai Duty Free at the airport.

Arriving at Dubai International Airport you’ll be delighted to discover Travel in Style’s VIP Red Carpet welcome procedures: you are met by our English-speaking representative who escorts you from your plane to a comfortable air-conditioned lounge where you can freshen up and recover from your flight. While you relax, our representative completes your Immigration procedures, collects your luggage, clears it through Customs, and transfers it to your private, air-conditioned vehicle. Escorted from the lounge to your vehicle, your private chauffeur transfers you to your hotel, assisting with your luggage when you arrive. Red Carpet Treatment: that’s the Travel in Style difference.

DAY 7 – DUBAI: Monday (BD)
Half Day Dubai City Tour:
Sample the historic sites and vibrant cosmopolitan life of Dubai on this comprehensive tour. The Tour begins in Jumeira, the picturesque palace and residential area of Dubai, also home to the famous Jumeira Mosque. The next stop is Sheikh Saeed House (former residence of ruling family). The Tour then continues to Al Bastakiya, the old part of Dubai, to reach the museum located in Al Fahidi Fort. All guests board the Abra (water taxi) to cross the Creek to the spice souk. Before savoring the sights and sounds of the fish, fruit and vegetable market, there is time to shop in the most famous landmark of Dubai – the Gold souk.

Evening Dhow Cruise Dinner: For a fabulous relaxing evening join our fully fitted Arabian dhow for an evening’s cruise on the Creek. Enjoy a sumptuous feast of Arabic and Western cuisine while gently gliding past illuminated souks, banks and palaces.

DAY 8 – Desert Safari with dinner in the Arabian Desert – DUBAI: Tuesday (BD)
Half Day Desert Safari (4 Wheel Drive):
Morning at leisure, enjoy beach activities. This tour departs in the afternoon across the desert of Dubai with several photo-stops during an exciting dune drive to the first destination a camel farm. The drive continues across the desert. We stop to watch the beautiful sunset before reaching our campsite where you have the opportunity to do camel riding. After working up an appetite enjoy a delicious barbecue dinner and a shisha (the most famous Arabic Water pipe). We conclude the evening with a true 1001 Arabian Nights tradition and with a belly dancer performing her dance around the campfire before we head back to your hotel in Dubai or Sharja.

DAY 9 – DUBAI – Abu Dhabi: Wednesday (BL)
Full day tour of Abu Dhabi with lunch included at Baynunah or similar. Tour with a private air-conditioned vehicle, private guide and of course private chauffeur.

DAY 10 – DUBAI – East Coast Tour- Arabian Emirates: Thursday (BL)
After breakfast we head for Dhaid and then on to the Hajar mountains that offer a beautiful natural backdrop for Dubai. A stop at a local market where the local shop for locally made pottery, fruits and carpets. We will stop as well in Dibba and a brief stop at the colorful local fish market, always with the fresh catch from the Arabian Gulf, we drive along the coast passing by enchanting small villages and fishermen wharfs. We arrive at Al Badiyah mosque, one of the earliest mosques built in the UAE, continue on to Khor Fakkan, a regional popular spot for diving and snorkeling, where there will be an opportunity to relax at the beach and have a refreshing swim stopping as well as the Khor Fakkah souk. Continue to Fujairah where we stop at the renovated Fort. Before returning to Dubai, stop at the oasis of Bitnah with time to wander on the “Friday Market” in Masafi. Lunch is included enroute in a charming local restaurant.

DAY 11 – DUBAI – Cairo: Friday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight to back to Cairo. Air fare is included in our rate, in economy class with taxes. Arrive at Cairo Airport. Our ground staff will meet you at the airport. A welcome fruit basket with our compliments awaits you at your room at the hotel. After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. For a limited number of nationalities you may pay for the visa fee: $ 15 subject to change and get your Egyptian Visa issued upon arrival for such nationalities as the following passports holders: American, Australian, Canadians, EU, Korean, Singaporean, and Japanese. Your passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of arrival. Our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel.

DAY 12 – Cairo: Saturday (BLD)
On Desert Safari for the Day – Fayoum Oases – And you thought the Pyramids were old.

The wilds of the desert begin right on the outskirts of Cairo, and continue for hundreds of miles to the east and west, through sands, rock, mountains, oases, and a surprising variety of scenery and inhabitants.

Join us for a day ranging across the desert like modern nomads. In place of camels, we’ll travel in comfortable, reliable four-by-four Toyota Land Cruisers. Your guide and drivers will meet you at your hotel, and soon you’ll leave bustling Cairo behind as you undertake the drive toward the Oasis of El Fayoum, 150 kilometers to the southwest. Hard as it is to believe, a great inland sea once covered these sands. It was a holy reserve of sacred crocodiles, symbolized by the god Sobek.

We’ll visit the temple of Kom Oshim, drive over ancient lake beds, and alongside the waters of today’s Fayoum Lake to reach the fishermen’s village of Chak Chouk. There we’ll stop for a lunch of fish caught fresh that morning. There will be time to wander the village lanes and discreetly watch the everyday activities of baking flatbread, irrigating crops from the lake’s waters, and bringing in the catch. We’ll also include the craft and pottery museum where the best works of local artisans are on display.

Then it’s into our four-by-fours again, for an off-road adventure! We’ll head alongside and across desert washes, between dunes, and over ancient lake beds for 35 kilometers to the Valley of the Whales (In Arabic: Wadi-El-Hitan). Incredibly, these great mammals once thrived – almost forty million years ago – in waters surrounded by sands. We’ll stop and gaze in amazement at their fossilized remains alongside smaller sea creatures that remain in stone. This valley was discovered in 1936, by the German geologist George Schweinfurth in the northwestern corner of Wadi El-Rayan.

The valley provides evidence of one of the major changes in this mammal evolution has been declared by the UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site. It is believed that these land based whales once had feet that may have helped them somewhat while ashore. A team from the University of Michigan discovered in the late 80’s that these Zeuglodon whales did have rudimentary feet, this was a startling discovery, suggesting that whales of Wadi -El-Hitan had recently started living in water as well, these whales were not related to any of the whales we have today, rather a more slender body and may grow up to 75 feet long. Several skeletons of whales are exposed in the sand. George Schweinfurth named this extinct specie the Zeuglodon Isis Whales.

In the evening, you’ll return to your hotel in Cairo. Land transportation in air-conditioned four-wheel-drive Toyota Land Cruiser with the services of driver and English-speaking driver. Lunch is included.

DAY 13 – CAIRO: Sunday (BLD)
Your exploration of the ancient world begins today! First stop is the Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones and metals. We’ll also stop at the Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque. Lunch is included at Hadaik Al-Azhar Park or Naguib Mahfouz. Then it is on to Wekalet El Ghouri, Beit El Seihimi and a walking tour of Khan El Khalili and Muiz LedeenAllah districts. Dinner is included at la Bodega restaurant in Zamalek

DAY 14 – CAIRO- GIZA: Monday (BLD)
DAHSOUR – HOME HOSTED MEAL
After breakfast, we’ll motor to the edge of Cairo, to the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. The museum of the Royal Barge of Cheops The museum is built over the rectangular pit that housed the Royal Barge for thousands of years, the wooden boat was readied for the king’s daily journey with the sun god, Ra. Discovered in 1954, in a completely dismantled state, the 43-metre (140-foot) cedar boat is a rare window on the Royal boats used by the kings of Ancient Egypt.

Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King’s Chamber your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (included) is entirely your own choice!

Continue to Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structures.

The “Discovery” of Dahshour
For almost half a century, the great field of huge pyramids near the desert village of Dahshour, 25 miles south of Cairo, has been off limits to the public. Confined within the perimeter of a military base were many pyramids, including the great 4500-year-old pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. Senfru’s pyramid, the largest in Egypt until his son built Giza’s Great Pyramid, is rhomboidal in shape: it tapers more distinctly on its upper half. All the pyramids were coated in thick plaster at one time. Most have lost these protective, decorative sheaths, but Senfru’s–miraculously–is still in place.

Lunch is included at a local restaurant or at your hotel.

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home.
Meet the locals: This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions by letting us know your preferences. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town).

Private Guide – Private Chauffeur – Private air-conditioned vehicle

DAY 15 – DEPARTURE Home: Tuesday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport. Bon Voyage! Indiana Jones himself couldn’t squeeze more adventure into this journey.

Rates per person in USD
	Deluxe	First Class
Triple	US$ 6950.	US$ 6005.
Double	US$ 7010.	US$ 6155.
Single	US$ 8150.	US$ 7040.
Flights Amman Dubai Cairo	Business Class	Economy Class
For Dec 15 – 31 arrivals: Please add %15 to any of the above listed rates

Sample Deluxe Hotels:
Amman	Sheraton Al-Nabil Hyatt Amman or similar	Upgrade in Dubai
Dubai	The Jumeirah Beach Hotel The Ritz Carlton Hotel, or similar	Royal Mirage The Arabian Court HotelLe Meridien Mina Seyahi Hotel: Please add $950 Per person in double
Petra	Movenpick Petra Hotel, Taybet Zaman Marriott Petra Hotel, or similar	Upgrade in Dubai For Burj Al Arab Hotel please add $4905 per person in double Based on deluxe SUITE Including Rolls-Royce round-trip airport transfers in Dubai

Sample First class Hotels:
Amman	Golden Tulip Hotel, Imperial Hotel Amman or similar
Dubai	Novotel Dubai, Dubai Four point Sheraton, Qamardeen hotel Dubai
Petra	Golden Tulip Petra Hotel, or similar

Prices include:

All transfers in Cairo, Dubai & Jordan.
Air fare: Dubai Amman Cairo, tax included.
For Deluxe Category Rate: in Business Class.
For First Class Hotels Rates: Air fare in economy class
Air-conditioned hotel accommodations with tax and service charges
Sightseeing with professional guide and entrance fees as indicated
Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
UAE (United Arab Emirates) visa fee (valid only for American, EU and Japanese citizens (As well some other nationalities, please check with us). Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival).
Tips to all your drivers, porters, and guides.
Hotel accommodation as per itinerary, tax included
Visa fee for Egypt For a limited number of nationalities, Egyptian Visa will issued upon arrival for such nationalities as the following passports holders: American, Australian, Canadians, EU, Korean, Singaporean, and Japanese. Your passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of arrival. Our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel.
Visa for Jordan. Limited to specific nationalities such as: Australian, NZ, USA, Canada, EU, Japan and others (please check with us if needed at the time of booking).
Dubai VIP Meet & Greet Service at the Airport:
Arriving at Dubai International Airport you’ll be delighted to discover Travel in Style’s VIP Red Carpet welcome procedures: you are met by our English-speaking representative who escorts you from your plane to a comfortable air-conditioned lounge where you can freshen up and recover from your flight. While you relax, our representative completes your Immigration procedures, collects your luggage, clears it through Customs, and transfers it to your private, air-conditioned vehicle. Escorted from the lounge to your vehicle, your private chauffeur transfers you to your hotel, assisting with your luggage when you arrive. Red Carpet Treatment: that’s the Travel in Style difference.
For your convenience: Wi-Fi internet access and mineral water with soft drinks are available in Jordan on board of all the vehicle for our VIP guests

Not included:

Personal expenses and beverages
International air fare from / to your home country
Additional meals and services
Trip interruption and cancellation insurance

Categories Dubai, Egypt, EgyptJordan_multi, EgyptNeighboringCountries, Grand_Arabia_multi, IndianaJones_multi, Jordan

Egypt and Jordan a la Indiana Jones (14 days)

by kathy

May 6th, 2014

A Grand 14-day Tour of these Two Gems of the Near East
Egypt and Jordan, including
Abu Simbel Temples and a Nile Cruise
Boarding Aswan

Luxury Nile Cruises

Indiana Jones himself couldn’t squeeze more adventure into this journey: Cairo and the Pyramids, a cruise on the Nile, the fabled temples and tombs of Luxor and Thebes, diving in the Red Sea, the mountains of Sinai, and a trek to the mysterious ruins of Petra in Jordan.

Tour

DAY 1: Cairo – Thursdays and Saturday
On arrival, our local representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel. Visa may be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport.

VIP Meet & Greet Upon arrival at Cairo Airport
Visa issued locally in Cairo (for a limited number of nationalities) no photos required. Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports and then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room with our compliments.

DAY 2: CAIRO – Giza – Dahshour – Friday and Sunday (BLD)
After breakfast we drive to Giza and the mysteries of the Pyramids and Sphinx, for interested guests: enjoy the usual photo opportunity riding a camel with the Pyramids and the Sphinx in the background with our compliments, and then we will tour the Museum of the Royal Barge of Cheops. The museum is built over the rectangular pit that housed the Royal Barge for thousands of years, the wooden boat was readied for the king’s daily journey with the sun god, Ra. Discovered in 1954, in a completely dismantled state, the 43-metre (140-foot) cedar boat is a rare window on the Royal boats used by the kings of Ancient Egypt.

The first boat of Khufu, Khufu Boat Museum, Giza.
Photo by Olaf Tausch, Wikimedia Commons.

We are glad to include as well the entrance fee to get inside the Great Pyramid, with our compliments, if interested, please read this first:

The King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid was not meant to be visited:
Getting to it is challenging, and once you enter, it is very difficult to turn back. The stone passage is only wide enough for one person. You must be in good physical condition, able to climb several flights of stairs, bend double, crouch and duck-walk for short distances. The King’s Chamber itself is the world’s most claustrophobic place, with dim light and heavy, hot, oxygen-poor air. There is no ventilation. If you are at all sensitive to claustrophobia or confinement, or if you have any sort of respiratory condition, for your own safety and the safety of others, you must not enter the pyramid because it is impossible to remove a person or to bring aid to them quickly, lunch is included at the Mena House.

Depending on the traffic, your guide may start the day with Dahshour then on the Pyramids after lunch.

We’ll motor to the edge of Cairo to Dahshour at the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structures.

The “Discovery” of Dahshour
For almost half a century, the great field of huge pyramids near the desert village of Dahshour, 25 miles south of Cairo, has been off limits to the public. Confined within the perimeter of a military base were many pyramids, including the great 4500-year-old pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. Senfru’s pyramid, the largest in Egypt until his son built Giza’s Great Pyramid, is rhomboidal in shape: it tapers more distinctly on its upper half. All the pyramids were coated in thick plaster at one time. Most have lost these protective, decorative sheaths, but Senfru’s–miraculously–is still in place.

We stop at El-Haraniya before we head back to your hotel. Dinner is included at La Bodega restaurant or similar.

DAY 3: CAIRO – Saturday and Monday (BLD)
Your exploration of the ancient world begins today! First stop is the Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones and metals. After lunch a charming local restaurant, we’ll also stop at the Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque. Followed by a walking tour of Khan El Khalili and Muezzledeenallah ancient bazaar districts. Dinner is included at Abu-El Sid restaurant.

DAY 4: Cairo – Abu Simbel – ASWAN – Sunday and Tuesday (BLD)
After an early breakfast, we board a short flight heading for Abu Simbel (via Aswan). Land at Abu Simbel Airport where your PRIVATE air-conditioned vehicle, private Egyptologist and private chauffeur await you in. Tour Ramses the Great larger temple, colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by his queen and daughters.

In the Queen’s smaller temple dedicated to Her Majesty Queen Nefertari (The Beautiful One), who appears as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the benevolent cow. We explore this fine temple by ourselves in the quiet of the morning, admiring their ancient aura and artistry, after which we fly back to Aswan, arriving in time for lunch at your hotel. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner is included at the hotel. Evening Sound and Light show at Philae Temple transfers are of course included.

DAY 5: Board Your Nile Cruise – Aswan (or Luxor) – Kom Ombo – Monday and Wednesday (BLD)
After breakfast at your hotel, we head to your Nile cruise and get ready to head out to tour the enormous dams at Aswan, and then board a launch on the Nile to visit the Temples of Philae, rescued from rising waters. Lunch and dinner today are on board your Nile cruise. Afternoon tea is served on deck daily while you are on board your cruise. After a shipboard lunch, we set sail for Kom Ombo, where we explore the twin Temples of Haroeris and Sobek. We continue our cruise to Edfu, where we dock for the night. Afternoon tea is served on deck daily while you are on board your cruise. Please click here for boarding the cruise in Luxor.

DAY 6: Edfu – Luxor – Tuesday and Thursday (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages or vans meet us at riverside to take us through Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Then we’ll continue beside the Nile to take in an array of ancient splendors: the Valley of the Kings; the imposing tomb-temple of Queen Hatshepsut; and, back in Luxor, the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak.

DAY 7: LUXOR – Wednesday and Friday (BLD)
Today we tour the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple of El Deir El Bahari, and the Colossi of Memnon. After lunch, the afternoon is free for shopping. Afternoon tea is served on deck. Dinner & folk dance show on board. Evening Sound and Light Show at Karnak Temples.

DAY 8: SHARM EL SHEIK – RED SEA – Thursday and Saturday (B)
Now that you’ve seen the best of the Egypt of the Pharaohs, our guides escort you to the airport. You’ll fly over the Sinai Peninsula and land at historic Sharm El Sheik on the Red Sea. You’re at the beach and free to swim, or explore under the waters.

DAY 9: SHARM EL SHEIK – Friday and Sunday (B)
Relax! Today is set aside as a strategic mid-journey break. Spend some time in the sun, but don’t miss your chance to snorkel or dive under Red Sea waters for an array of coral and glittering tropical fish.

DAY 10: Sharm El Sheikh – Red Sea Riviera – Saturday and Monday (BL)
Another full day at leisure to enjoy the sun and beach on this Red Sea Riviera if you prefer to keep busy: optional day tours are available upon request for additional $$.

DAY 11: Sharm El Sheikh – PETRA – Sunday and Tuesday (BL)
We’ll fly non-stop Sharm El-Sheikh Amman or via Cairo, our Jordan-based representative waits to greet you. You’ll drive south under a towering ridge of mountains, and arrive at your hotel in Petra for the night. Complimentary Jordanian visa fee (valid only for American, Canadian, Australian, NZ, EU & Japanese citizens. Passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival). Lunch is included enroute.

Enjoy the beach at Sharm el-Sheikh. Photo by TravnikovStudio | Bigstock

DAY 12: PETRA – Monday and Wednesday (BD)
We’ll spend the entire day at Petra, the stunning desert city hewn by the Nabateans from solid cliffs of pink and violet sandstone. Petra was known in the bible as Sela, and rediscovered only in 1812. You’ll feel like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark as you penetrate into the city through a narrow sandstone gorge, the Siq, and wander among the Temple of the Winged Lion, tombs, Roman theater, and the imposing Treasury.

In the evening we will call on you for a unique experience:
Dine as a local: The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza (appetizers) and salads, and a main course—all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

DAY 13: PETRA – JERASH – AMMAN – Tuesday and Thursday (BLD)
We drive to Jerash, among the best-preserved Roman cities in the world, to tour its temples, theaters, churches and colonnaded streets. From Jerash, we will escort you back to Amman and your hotel. Lunch is included enroute. Dinner is included at a local restaurant in Amman.

DAY 14: DEPARTURE FOR HOME – Wednesday and Friday (B)
Our local rep. escorts you to the airport of Amman for your flight home. Bon Voyage.

RATES per person in USD
	Ultra Deluxe*	Deluxe	Modest First Class
Triple	US$ 7,350.	US$ 5200	US$ 4450
Double	US$ 7,470.	US$ 5320.	US$ 4510.
Single	US$ 10,150.	US$ 6800.	US$ 5920.
* Ultra Deluxe includes flying Business Class within Egypt. Private Egyptologist and guide, including on board the Nile Cruise.

HOTELS
	Ultra Deluxe	Deluxe Hilton Level Hotels	Modest First Class Four Star Hotels
Cairo Hotels	Suite at the Semiramis InterContinental or Superior Room at Four Seasons Cairo	Cairo Sheraton, Ramses Hilton, Cairo Sonesta, or similar	Novotel El Borg Oases Hotel or similar
Nile Cruise	Suite with a private balcony on board one of the Sonesta All suites Ultra Deluxe Nile Cruises such as the M/S Star Goddess (Mozart Suite), or similar ultra deluxe cruises. For families or parties of 3 sharing in triple then it is a Beethoven Suite.	M/S Monaco, M/S Mojito, M/S Lady Diana, M/S Queen of Hansa	M/S Nile Dream, M/S Ruby
Sharm El Sheikh	Four Seasons Sharm El Sheikh	Renaissance Sharm El Sheikh Hotel, Marriott Sharm El Sheikh, Sonesta Sharm El Sheikh or similar	Novotel Sharm El Sheikh or similar
Amman	Four Seasons Hotel Amman	Sheraton Al-Nabil, Landmark Hotel Amman or similar	Imperial Hotel Amman, International Hotel Amman or similar
Petra		Movenpick Petra, Marriott Petra, Taybet Zaman Hotel Petra	Golden Tulip Petra

For Easter, Christmas, New Year’s (Dec 20 – Jan 3): 15 % supplement will apply.
Children Discount: 30% on the adult double rate, child must be younger than 12 years of age, must be traveling with a minimum of 2 adults.

Inclusions:

All transfers in Egypt and Jordan always on a private basis.
All domestic flights within Egypt, and Cairo Amman flight in economy class, tax included.
Air-conditioned hotel accommodations with tax and service charges
Sightseeing with professional guide and entrance fees as indicated
Meals as indicated, with pre-set menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
Nile cruise with all shore excursions and meals.
Large bottle of water (per person), delivered daily to your cabin on board the Nile cruise.
Small bottle of water (per person) with each meal, while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
Tea or coffee with each meal while you are on board the Nile cruise
VIP Meet & Greet At Cairo Airport
Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport (photos are not required).
Egyptian Visa will be issued for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens,You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. meets with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room in Cairo upon arrival with our compliments.
Visa for Jordan. Limited to specific nationalities such as: Australian, NZ, USA, Canada, EU, Japan and others (please check with us if needed at the time of booking).
For your convenience: Wi-Fi internet access and mineral water with soft drinks are available in Jordan on board of all the vehicle for our VIP guests

Not included:

Tips.
Personal expenses and beverages.
Additional meals and services
International air fare between your home country and Egypt / Jordan
Trip interruption and cancellation insurance

Categories Egypt, EgyptNeighboringCountries, IndianaJones_multi, Jordan

Egypt and Jordan (12 days)

by kathy

May 4th, 2014

A Grand 12 days in Egypt and Jordan, Including Petra

Karnak, Egypt.
Photo by Ron Guay.

Indiana Jones himself couldn’t squeeze more adventure into such a journey: Cairo and the Pyramids, a cruise on the Nile, the fabled temples and tombs of Luxor and Thebes, diving in the Red Sea, the mountains of Sinai, and a trek to the mysterious ruins of Petra in Jordan. Extend you stay in Egypt and Jordan and visit the Abu Simbel Temples. For the 11-day version without Sharm El Sheikh please click here.

Tour

DAY 1 – DEPARTURE – Sunday -Weekly year round
We take off aboard Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France, British Airways or KLM from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

DAY 2- CAIRO- VIP Meet & Greet Service – Monday
Our Egypt-based local rep. greets you in bustling Cairo airport and escorts you to your hotel. Visa may be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport.

VIP Meet & Greet Upon arrival at Cairo Airport
Visa issued locally in Cairo (for a limited number of nationalities) no photos required. Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports and then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room with our compliments.

DAY 3 – CAIRO – Tuesday (BLD)
Your exploration of the ancient world begins today! First stop is the Egyptian Museum with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones and metals. We’ll also stop at the Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque. Then it’s on to Giza and the mysteries of the Pyramids and Sphinx.

The museum of the Royal Barge of Cheops
The museum is built over the rectangular pit that housed the Royal Barge for thousands of years, the wooden boat was readied for the king’s daily journey with the sun god, Ra. Discovered in 1954, in a completely dismantled state, the 43-metre (140-foot) cedar boat is a rare window on the Royal boats used by the kings of Ancient Egypt.

Khufu Solar Ship located in the Giza Solar boat museum.
© Ovedc | Wikimedia Commons

We are glad to include the entrance fee to get inside the Great Pyramid. If interested, please read this first:

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals: This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions by letting us know your preferences. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town).

DAY 4 – Cairo / Aswan – Board your Nile Cruise – Wednesday (BLD)
After an early breakfast board your flight heading for Aswan, where we settle you into your cabin on your Nile steamer. Complimentary welcome fruit basket.

We’ll visit the world famous Nubian Museum, the enormous dams at Aswan, and then board a launch on Lake Nasser to visit the Temples of Philae, rescued from rising waters. In the evening, your guide will call on you for a horse-drawn carriage ride through Aswan and the waterfront.

DAY 5 – KOM OMBO -Thursday (BLD)
We cruise northward down the Nile today, at a stately pace, disembarking for a visit to Kom Ombo, the twin temple dedicated to the crocodile river god, Sobek. We’ll also see Haroeris, the solar disk.

DAY 6 – EDFU and LUXOR- Friday (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages or vans meet us at riverside to take us through Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Then we’ll continue beside the Nile to take in an array of ancient splendors: the Valley of the Kings; the imposing tomb-temple of Queen Hatshepsut; and, back in Luxor, we tour the Great Temple at Karnak and the smaller yet charming Temple of Amon. Evening Sound and Light show.

DAY 7 – SHARM EL SHEIKH – RED SEA Saturday (B)
Now that you’ve seen the best of the Egypt of the Pharaohs, our guides escort you to the airport. You’ll fly over the Sinai Peninsula and land at historic Sharm El Sheik on the Red Sea. You’re at the beach and free to swim, or explore under the waters.

DAY 8 – SHARM EL SHEIK – Dinner with the Bedouins in Sinai -Sunday (BD)
Relax! Today is set aside as a strategic mid-journey break. Spend some time in the sun, but don’t miss your chance to snorkel or dive under Red Sea waters for an array of coral and glittering tropical fish. Lunch at the hotel. Evening dinner with the bedouins in Sinai.

Day 9 – Saladin’s Castle and Pharaoh’s Island-Monday (BL)
Breakfast at the hotel, lunch box will be prepared by your chef and includes bottled water.

Just off the Sinai along the northern reaches of the Gulf of Aqaba lies one of the more curious and scenic locales in this part of the world. The rulers of the Nile might once have held sway over these rocks and sand and water of Pharaoh’s Island (or Coral Island, or Geziret Faraoun). More certain is that Crusaders established an outpost here, on the site of a onetime Phoenician port, and erected a castle in 1115 A.D. to protect pilgrims on the way to St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai wilderness. The island did double duty as a base from which to attack Arab traders, which led to its capture by Saladin (or Salah El-Din). The legendary Arab leader strengthened the fortifications, and his name remains attached to the castle. Later, it was a Mameluke and Ottoman outpost.

We’ll have a treasured half-day opportunity to board a boat to visit this rarely seen fortress island. We’ll motor northward from Sharm El Sheikh, following the rocky coast, passing Bedouin travelers on camels, and secluded beaches, with occasional sightings of desert foxes. At Dahab or Nuweiba, we’ll embark for our short crossing to the island.

Once ashore, we’ll wander through the precincts of the reconstructed castle, with its courtyard, storerooms, galleys, and dining rooms, and appreciate the natural harbor that made this such a coveted outpost. And we’ll take in the unusual offshore vista of the breathtaking azure waters of the Gulf, back dropped by the grandeur of the mountains of Sinai and a cloudless sky.

Then, at your option, you can don scuba or snorkeling gear for a close encounter with the world-famous underwater life of coastal Sinai: corals, reefs, and schools of fish in every gradation of the rainbow, before we return to our lodgings at Sharm El Sheikh.

DAY 10 – Sharm – El Sheikh – PETRA – Tuesday (BLD)
We’ll fly to Amman (non-stop, or via Cairo) in Amman, our Jordan-based representative waits to greet you. You’ll drive under a towering ridge of mountains, and arrive at your hotel in Petra for the night. Lunch or snacks are included enroute. Dinner is included at the hotel.

DAY 11 – PETRA- Wednesday (BD)
We’ll spend the entire day at Petra, the stunning desert city hewn by the Nabateans from solid cliffs of pink and violet sandstone. Petra was known in the bible as Sela, and rediscovered only in 1812. You’ll feel like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark as you penetrate into the city through a narrow sandstone gorge, the Siq, and wander among the Temple of the Winged Lion, tombs, Roman theater, and the imposing Treasury.

In the evening we will call on you for a unique experience:
Dine as a local: The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Tour experience tonight includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

DAY 12 – DEPARTURE FOR HOME – Thursday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport of Amman for your flight home. Or, you may choose to add one of our extensions,to Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh, Greece or Turkey or even stop in Paris or London on the way back.

RATES per person in USD
	Deluxe	First Class
	Hilton Level Hotels	Oases Hotel or similar
	M/S Monaco. M/S Mojito Nile Cruise, or similar	M/S Nile Dream Nile Cruise Hilton Sharks Bay Sharm El Sheikh (All inclusive), or similar
Triple	US$ 6170.00	US$ 5525.00
Double	US$ 6330.00	US$ 5775.00
Single	US$ 7870.00	US$ 6960.00

Easter (two weeks), Christmas, New Year’s Dec 15 – Jan 5: 10 % supplement will apply

Air fare add-on – Subject to Availability: Doesn’t apply when you handle your own airfare:

For departures from most west coast cities, as well as Phoenix,, please add $ 650.00 to the above rates.
For DC, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas-Fort Worth or Atlanta: please add $ 550.00
For travel in May thru end of Sep, as well as Dec 20 – Jan 2 please note that a $ 550.00 air-fare high season supplement will be added to the above rates, this doesn’t apply when you handle your own airfare.

Prices include:

VIP Meet & Greet At Cairo Airport
Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport (photos are not required).
Egyptian Visa will be issued for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage, after you clear the passport and customs formalities and exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room in Cairo upon arrival with our compliments.
International air fares (with tax) from New York to Cairo with return from Amman. If / when you handle your own air fare please deduct $ 500 from the listed rates.
All domestic flights within Egypt, economy class with tax.
Air-conditioned hotel accommodations with tax and service charges
All transfers in Egypt & Jordan.
Red Sea ferry ticket.
Complimentary welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
Bottled water (one per person) delivered daily to your cabin
Bottled water / tea / coffee with every meal on board the Nile Cruise.
Nile Cruise with all meals & shore excursions, cabins are always outside with large panoramic windows.
Sightseeing with professional guide and entrance fees as indicated
Meals as indicated, with pre-set menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
Jordanian departure tax.
Visa for Jordan. Limited to specific nationalities such as: Australian, NZ, USA, Canada, EU, Japan and others (please check with us if needed at the time of booking).
For your convenience: Wi-Fi internet access and mineral water with soft drinks are available in Jordan on board of all the vehicle for our VIP guests

Not included:

Personal expenses and beverages.
Tips. Additional meals, drinks and services.
Trip interruption and cancellation insurance.

Categories Egypt, EgyptJordan_multi, EgyptNeighboringCountries, IndianaJones_multi, Jordan

From Marrakech to the Nile (11 days)

by kathy

May 1st, 2014

Riding a carriage in Marrakech.
By mwanasimba from La Réunion (Uploaded by russavia)
[CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Explore the two gems of North Africa – Morocco and Egypt – on this grand 11-day North Africa dream vacation. Tour to Casablanca, Marrakech, Cairo and Luxor. A bonus: journeys by train across the Moroccan countryside.

Tour

DAY 1 – OFF TO MOROCCO! – Monday – Weekly Departure – Year Round
Weekly departure. Board a comfortable Air France, Swiss, Lufthansa, British Airways or Royal Air Maroc jet at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport for your nonstop flight to Casablanca. Airfare add-on is available from your major home town in the USA. If you wish to handle your own air fare please deduct $ 600 USD from any of the listed rates.

Air fare add-on:

For Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando Houston: $350.
SFO, LAX, SEA,SJS, SAN, PDX and DEN $ 450 (air fare is subject to change without notice)

Day 2 – CASABLANCA – MARRAKECH – Tuesday – Weekly – Year Round
Our international flight arrives in Casablanca. After completing customs and immigration formalities, and exiting the terminal, our local rep. will be waiting for you with a sign in your name, then we drive south to mystical Marrakech (private air-conditioned vehicle, private English speaking chauffeur). Check-in at your hotel. Private transfers at all times.

DAY 3 – MARRAKECH – Wednesday (BL)
We board a horse-drawn carriage for a clip-clop tour of this ancient royal capital, including the Kotoubia, a former royal palace, and of course the labyrinthine souks (bazaars). Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant. Sunset camel ride on the outskirts of Marrakech.

Day 4 – MARRAKECH – Home Hosted Family Dinner – Thursday (BLD)
One of the special ways of understanding a culture is through the local cuisine – not only sampling exotic tastes, but experiencing the preparation of dishes, how they figure in ritual and ceremony, and how they have grown out of the earth and traditions. We’ll proceed to La Maison Arabe or the Ecole Hotelière, Marrakech’s own hospitality & Culinary Academy and training school, for a demonstration of the preparation of pastry-style doughs. We’ll stay for a lunch of salads, tagine of Maghdour kebab, and refreshing fruits.

This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Marrakech! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy dinner in a quiet restaurant with your travel companions by letting us know your preferences.

Day 5 – CASABLANCA- Friday (BL)
“Getting there is half the fun!” We board the train for our return to Casablanca, cruising through the lovely countryside past green fields, fruit-laden orchards, traditional villages and modern towns, with the lofty Atlas Mountains soaring in the distance. Our local rep. will be waiting for you at the train station in Casablanca with a sign in your name.

Lunch is included in Casablanca. Our tour escort points out interesting features, and fills us in on Moroccan life and culture. After arriving in Casablanca, we visit the majestic new Grand Mosque of King Hassan II, second only to the Great Mosque at Mecca in size. We continue on a panoramic tour of the city and its souks. Private transfers at all times. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.

Day 6 – CASABLANCA – CAIRO/ EGYPT – Saturday (B)
After breakfast, we drive to the airport for our Royal Air Maroc or Egyptair flight across North Africa to Egypt. We arrive in Cairo.Visa may be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport.

VIP Arrival Hall At Cairo Airport, no photos required. Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports and then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room with our compliments. Depending on the arrival time you may land early AM or late afternoon. Remainder of the day is at leisure.

Day 7 – CAIRO – Sunday (BL)
Breakfast at the hotel, morning at leisure. Refreshed, in the afternoon we visit the Citadel of Saladin and its Alabaster Mosque, enjoying spectacular views of the city below. We descend from the Citadel into Khan el-Khalili, the bazaar district, in search of Egyptian treasures as well as the newly restored Muizz LedeenAllah medieval district. The rest of the day is yours. Lunch is included at Hadaik Al-Azhar Park, Abu El-Sid restaurant or similar.

DAY 8 – CAIRO – Monday (BLD)
Today we visit Cairo’s most famous monuments: the awesome pyramids of Giza, Cheops Royal Barge Museum, the Valley Temple and the timeless Sphinx. After lunch at the Mena House we drive to Dahshour, the pyramid field south of Cairo, where we visit several ancient structures, including the great pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. Lunch is included at the Mena House. Dinner is included at La Bodega restaurant.

DAY 9 – LUXOR – Tuesday (BL)
Very early breakfast at the hotel. Then we head for our 6 AM flight to Luxor. From the airport in this Ancient Egyptian capital we cross the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings and the Colossi of Memnon. After lunch in Luxor at Sonesta Hotel or Al-Moudira Hotel, we tour the stupendous Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and visit the Sacred Lake, obelisks and colossal statues. We take a quick look at the great temple of Amon Ra at Luxor on our way to the airport for our flight back to Cairo and your hotel.

DAY 10 – CAIRO – Home Hosted Dinner – Wednesday (BL)
The world-famous Egyptian Museum, which holds the treasures of Tutankhamon, is our first stop today, after which we wander the narrow streets of Old Cairo (once a Roman fort). We go on to the Jewish Quarter, then the Coptic Christian Quarter, stopping at the churches of Abu Serghius and Al Molaka, the Coptic Museum, and the Ben Ezra synagogue. After lunch at a typical local restaurant, we head back to your hotel.

Day 11 – DEPARTURE Thursday (B)
After breakfast, our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight back to the USA. This tour departs from the USA weekly, year round.

RATES per person in USD
	Deluxe Hotels	First Class Hotels	Tourist Class Hotels
In Triple occupancy	US$ 5550.	US$ 4490.	US$ 3989.
Double	US$ 5678.	US$ 4530.	US$ 4041.
Single	US$ 6760.	US$ 5620.	US$ 4965.

Air fare add-on:

For Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando Houston: $350.
SFO, LAX, SEA,SJS, SAN, PDX and DEN $ 450 (air fare is subject to change without notice)

Christmas – New Year Holiday Supplement
For Christmas / Holiday Season, Dec 20- Jan 3: Please add 10% supplement to any of the listed rates.

Air fare note:
May – Sep supplement (does not apply when you handle your own air fare). Please add $450 high season supplement (this doesn’t apply when you handle your own air fare). Air tickets tax is included.

Your tour includes:

Round-trip international airfare from New York City (JFK) to Casablanca and Cairo in economy class, including tax (Please contact us for add-on fares from your nearest airport to New York).
Air fare note: May – Sep: Please add $450 high season supplement (this doesn’t apply when you handle your own air fare). Air tickets tax is included. Click here for a version WITHOUT air fare from/to USA.
Domestic airfares within Morocco and Egypt in economy class, including tax
First-class day train Marrakech-Casablanca, including tax and service
All airport and train station transfers in Morocco and Egypt as described in the tour itinerary. Private transfers at all times. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
Your hotel room at a carefully-selected deluxe, or first class hotel, whichever you prefer, including tax & service
B = Breakfast: continental or Buffet Breakfast), L = Lunch, D = Dinner.
Guided sightseeing as listed in the itinerary including all entrance fees.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE ON LUGGAGE: When flying from JFK on Royal Air Maroc all the way, then 2 pieces of luggage are allowed to be checked. For West coast customers, who may fly British Airways into Casablanca, they will be allowed one piece of luggage to be checked in on board the ROYAL AIR MAROC flight between Casablanca & Cairo.
VIP Arrival Hall At Cairo Airport
Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports and then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room with our compliments.

Not included:

Gratuities / tips to your local guides and drivers.
Trip interruption and cancellation insurance.
International air fare from / to your home country.
Personal expenses, including excess baggage or shipping charges, beverages, and personal charges in hotels for laundry, telephone, or other services.

Sample First class Modest Four Stars Hotels:

Marrakech:	Riad Chergui
Casablanca:	Novotel Casablanca Hotel
Cairo:	Novotel El Borg Hotel, Oases Hotel, or similar

Deluxe Hotels: (or similar)

In Morocco
Marrakech (Deluxe Standard 5-star hotel):	KENZI FARAH or similar Deluxe Standard 5 stars Riad – RIAD TIWALINE

In Egypt
Cairo:	Sofitel / Hilton / Sheraton / Conrad/ Inter.Continental
Casablanca:	Royal Info Ada

Or upgrade to Deluxe Superior

(15 % supplement applies to the deluxe rate listed above)

In Morocco
Marrakech:	Deluxe Superior 5 stars Riad – RIAD KNIZA Deluxe five stars Superior hotel / Riad: JARDINS DE LA KOUTOUBIA

In Egypt
Cairo:	Four Seasons Hotel
Casablanca:	Royal Mansour

Categories Africa, Egypt, EgyptMorocco_multi, EgyptNeighboringCountries, Morocco

The Grand African Tour:
Marrakech, Cairo and Cape Town

by kathy

January 24th, 2014

Experience the Best of Morocco, Egypt and South Africa
All in 22 days – Including Victoria Falls

Viewing Cape Town From Chapman’s Peak Drive

Airfare is included from Casablanca to Cairo and Johannesburg in BUSINESS CLASS. Tour starts weekly on Wednesday in Casablanca, Year Round. Explore the three gems of Africa–Morocco, South Africa and Egypt–on this tour to Casablanca, Marrakech. The best of Egypt: A good look at Cairo and a 5-day cruise along the Nile, then on to South Africa where you will embark on thrilling game drives near Botswana’s remote Limpopo River to South Africa’s most cosmopolitan city on Table Bay, Cape Town. Let us introduce you to the land… South of the Limpopo.

This is truly an experience for those who have been dreaming to see and enjoy the ultimate African tour from Cairo all the way to Cape Town. This combination of cosmopolitan Cape Town, Victoria Falls, and the Safari Adventure in Botswana is a diverse itinerary offering an array of Southern Africa’s finest travel experiences. Prefer to start in South Africa? please click here.

Tour

Day 1: MARRAKECH – Tuesday – Weekly – Year Round
Our international flight arrives in Marrakech. If your flight is only to Casablanca, then it is our pleasure to meet you at the airport in Casablanca and escort you to Marrakech in a private air-conditioned vehicle with a private chauffeur. After completing customs and immigration formalities, our staff will escort you to your hotel, where you can enjoy a welcome warm cup of mint tea and a welcome fruit basket awaits you. Subject to availability: your accommodation will be at one of Marrakech deluxe Riad (Boutique hotels) or a five star hotel.

DAY 2: MARRAKECH – Belly Dance Class – Wednesday (BLD)
We board a horse-drawn carriage for a clip-clop tour of this ancient royal capital including the Kotoubia, a former royal palace, and of course the labyrinthine souks (bazaars). Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant. In the early evening, for guests who are interested, please join us for a complimentary one hour introductory class on belly dance and Moroccan Berber dance techniques. An authentic Moroccan dinner is included tonight at a Moroccan local restaurant.

Day 3: MARRAKECH – Thursday (BLD)
After breakfast in your hotel you will leave for Amizmiz, 54 Kilometers from Marrakech. On the way you will see the Oumnast Kasbah then the Lalla Takerkoust Dam built between 1929 and 1935 with its manmade lake. It will take you about an hour to reach Amizmiz, a typical Berber village, where we will tour the Kasbah and the “Mellah” (Jewish quarter). Every Tuesday an important country market is held where all the villagers from the area come for their weekly shopping and gossiping. There you can buy interesting Regragra potteries. Your guide will welcome you in his home for a traditional Berber breakfast then you will start your hiking first through Sidi Hossein valley to reach Tizi Oughourane. On the way you will see picturesque landscapes of the Atlas mountains, Berber villages with their houses built in stone and earth. After a typical lunch accompanied by mint tea you will come back to Amizimiz by a different itinerary and be transferred back to busy Marrakech by late afternoon.

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town).
This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Marrakech! You’ll be invited to a family dinner and, while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions by letting us know your preferences.

Day 4: CASABLANCA – Friday (BL)
“Getting there is half the fun!” We board the train for our return to Casablanca, cruising through the lovely countryside past green fields, fruit-laden orchards, traditional villages and modern towns, with the lofty Atlas Mountains soaring in the distance. Our tour escort points out interesting features and fills us in on Moroccan life and culture. After arriving in Casablanca we visit the majestic new Grand Mosque of King Hassan II, second only to the Great Mosque at Mecca in size. We continue on a panoramic tour of the city and its souks, and then drive to the airport for our Royal Air Maroc night flight across North Africa to Egypt. Air fare is included in business class (tax included).

Day 5: CAIRO – Saturday (BL)
We arrive in Cairo with the dawn. Our representative will greet you at the airport.
VIP Arrival Hall At Cairo Airport
Our representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order, valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports and then claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel.

We drive through the awakening city to our hotel for breakfast and a bracing cup of coffee or tea. Then it’s on with your first full day in Egypt where we show you the Egyptian Museum, the Citadel of Saladin, the Mohammed Ali Mosque made of alabaster, Khan El Khalili Bazaar District and Moez Ledeenallah historical district. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Sample deluxe hotels: Fairmont Hotel, Inter.Continental, Marriott, Sheraton, Hilton or similar. First Class: Novotel or similar. Your room will be booked from the night before to ensure that it is ready for you upon arrival early morning.

Day 6: Giza – Memphis – Sakkara – Sunday (BL)
After breakfast we drive to the edge of the Sahara and visit the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, Cheops personal Royal Yacht Museum (The Pharaoh’s Solar Boat), Memphis and Sakkara including the Step Pyramids, the Nobles Tombs and Imhotep small yet charming Museum. Lunch is included at the Mena House. We will visit Harania village before heading back to your hotel.

DAY 7: ASWAN (or Luxor). Board your Nile Cruise – Camel Caravan! Monday (BLD)
We fly to Aswan and board our Nile cruiser in time for a delicious lunch. A complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin. In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile. Only for those who are interested: a short camel caravan & ride for almost half an hour to visit a local Nubian Village.

DAY 8: ASWAN – KOM OMBO – On Board Your Nile Cruise – Tuesday (BLD)
First we tour new Nubian Museum then the awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to the island temples of Philae. Re-embarking on our Nile cruiser, we sail downstream to Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples. One large bottle of water is provided daily in your cabin (per person) while you are on board the cruise.

DAY 9: EDFU – ESNA – On Board Your Nile Cruise – Wednesday (BLD)
We moor in Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt’s best-preserved temple. Re-embarking, we cruise to Esna and its great temple dedicated to Khnum, the creator-god. Evening finds us in Luxor. Cabin amenity tonight: Local Egyptian sweets or a cake for your special occasion.

DAY 10: LUXOR – On Board Your Nile Cruise – Thursday (BLD)
Today we will tour the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut. We will stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to our cruise. Cabin amenity: Complimentary Galabya.

DAY 11: LUXOR – CAIRO Friday (B)
The gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple of Luxor are our goals in the morning, followed by a return flight to Cairo. In the afternoon, wander through the city on your own, or do your last-minute shopping.

Day 12: CAIRO – Johannesburg, South Africa – Saturday
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your Egyptair flight very early in the morning. Air fare is included in Business Class with tax included. Arrive Johannesburg in AM. You’re transferred to Mount Grace Hotel, one of the finest country hotels in South Africa. Set in hills surrounding Rietpoort Valley, it is home to abundant bird life, cascading waterfalls, stone-age relics, and a 400-year-old olive tree. Guests are welcomed with tasteful furnishings and impeccable service. Mount Grace Hotel or Melrose Arch Hotel (D)

Day 13 through 15: Mashatu, Botswana – Sunday through Tuesday
This morning board your SAA Airlink flight to Polokwane Airport (about 1 hour). Upon arrival at Polokwane Airport you will board a charter flight to the Limpopo Valley Airfield where you will be met and transferred to the Mashatu Game Reserve. It is very important to note that a 15 Kilogram luggage limit per person is strictly enforced for all safari flights, drive and camps. Your luggage must be soft bags. For guests who may need to store excess luggage, you may wish to do so at Johannesburg Airport, or better yet, travel light. The Mashaty Main Camp is at the confluence of Limpopo and Shashe Rivers in the Tuli Enclave, a diverse region ranging from savannas to forests to open plains.

In open four-wheel-drive land cruisers, experienced Tswana rangers and trackers provide guests with unequaled close-up game viewing and photographic opportunities. Night game drives dinners overlooking lighted watering hole offer unique views of bush life. Mashatu Main Camp (BLD)

Day 16: Cape Town – Wednesday
Board morning safari flight from Limpopo Valley Airfield to Polokwane Airport, where you connect with the scheduled Airlink flight to “OR Tambo” Johannesburg Airport and connect with onward flight to Cape Town. Very important to note that a 15 Kilogram luggage limit per person is strictly enforced for all safari flights, drive and camps. Your luggage must be soft bags. For guests who may need to store excess luggage, you may wish to do so at Johannesburg Airport, or better yet, travel light.

On arrival, you are transferred to the Radisson Hotel. The hotel is located next to Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. The five-star Radisson Hotel exudes a relaxed charm with the feel of a luxurious beach hotel. Cape Town is cradled by Table Mountain and has immense charm and history. (B)

Cape Town Waterfront

Day 17: Cape Point / Peninsula Tour – Group Tour – Thursday
Travel coastal road that hugs the cold Atlantic Ocean to Hout Bay, a former fishing community that is a popular residential area, but still retains the charm of days past. Continue south to Cape Point in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, where the Atlantic and the Indian oceans meet. Return along the Indian Ocean coast road. Visit a colony of penguins at Boulders Beach. Drive through Simonstown naval base to Kalk Bay. Visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, one of Africa’s finest gardens. Radisson Granger Bay Hotel (BL)

Day 18: Cape Town /Johannesburg – Friday
Fly back to Johannesburg. Hotel choices subject to availability: Mount Grace Hotel, Hilton Sandton or Melrose Arch Hotel. Transfers are always included. (B)

Day 19: Livingston – Victoria Falls – Saturday (BD)
All transfers are included. Fly to Livingston. Economy class air fare (including tax) is included. Accommodations: Royal Livingston Hotel or Zambezi Sun. (BD)

Day 20: Victoria Falls – Sunday
This master work of nature–plunging into a massive ravine and sending up a roar of spray sufficient to sustain a rainforest around its edge–needs little introduction. Our exciting program includes all of the town’s “musts”: two nights luxury accommodations; a guided tour of the falls and nearby artisan village and a Sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River. This tour includes two breakfasts, airport transfers and guided sightseeing. Accommodations: Royal Livingston Hotel or Zambezi Sun. (BD)

Day 21: Victoria Falls / Johannesburg – Monday (B)
All transfers are included as usual. Fly back to Johannesburg. Air fare is included Livingston to Johannesburg. And your hotel: Sandton Hilton. Economy class air fare (including tax) is included.

Day 22: Departure from Johannesburg – Tuesday (B)
Early morning transfer to JNB Airport. End of our service. Bon Voyage!

Remember because there is limited space on the safari vehicle, ONE medium sized bag (soft luggage preferred) is allowed on the safari vehicle per person, plus your carry on.

Cost per person in USD $:
Sharing in double Occupancy:	$ 16,605 .00
in single Occupancy:	$ 18,960 .00
Sorry, no triple occupancy room on Safaris.

For Christmas/New Year’s week, as well as Easter season: add 10% to any of the above rates.

INCLUDED:

Air fare Johannesburg / Livingston / Johannesburg, economy class, tax included.
Airfare from Casablanca to Cairo and on to Johannesburg, in BUSINESS CLASS, with tax included
Deluxe Hotel accommodation with tax & service charges.
All airfares within Egypt, in business class, tax included.
All transfers are on a private basis as per itinerary.
Private touring on board the Nile cruise: private guide, private chauffeur, private air-conditioned vehicle for the full cruise/shore excursions. Deluxe Nile Cruise with all meals.
Private touring in Morocco and Egypt, private guide, private chauffeur, private air-conditioned vehicle.
Preset menu meals including B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast) L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Internal Airfare – Johannesburg – Mashatu – Johannesburg – Cape Town.
Daily accommodations as shown in the itinerary & all hotel taxes and service charges
All hotel /airport transfers as indicated
Transportation in air-conditioned coaches
Game drives in open 4-wheel drive safari vehicles, conducted by experienced Tswana rangers and trackers Spotlight game drives at night
Game walks accompanied by experienced Tswana ranger and tracker
All sightseeing, game viewing, entrance fees and park fees as indicated in the itinerary.
VIP Arrival Hall Meet & Greet At Cairo Airport
Our representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order, valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports and then claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room in Cairo with our compliments.

NOT INCLUDED:

Any international airport departure taxes.
Passport and visa fees (rate covers the Egyptian Visa).
Shipping charges, and other items of a personal nature such as gratuities to drivers and guides, porters, telephone/telex/fax charges, laundry, and beverages.
Personal expenses including but not limited to beverages, laundry, communication costs, excess baggage fees (baggage is restricted to 26 lbs (Modify as required) per person in a soft sided bag where charter flights are included)·
Traveler’s insurance (the purchase of travel insurance is recommended to protect your investment in case of unanticipated curtailment or cancellation of your tour).
Medical expenses, medical insurance (passenger must show proof of insurance or ask for the flyer to be mailed).
Gratuities to drivers, guides or tour managers.
Any sightseeing, safari activities, meals, or other activities not specified in the itinerary or indicated as optional.
Please note that tipping is discretionary, however, the following guidelines are provided: $5-$10 per day for guides; $3-$5 per day for camp and/or Nile Cruise staff, e.g. waiters, housekeepers, which is a communal tip that is shared among the staff); porters – $1; driver/guides – $2-$5); restaurant waiters/waitresses – 10% of bill; hotel housekeeping – $2 per day.
Excess baggage charges, shipping charges, items of a personal

Categories Africa, Egypt, EgyptSouthAfrica_multi, Morocco, South Africa

From Cairo to Cape Town
(19 Days)

by kathy

January 17th, 2014

Including Victoria Falls

Experience the Best of Egypt, Zambia and South Africa

Cairo – Giza – Luxor – Aswan – Nile Cruising

Cape Town – MalaMala Game Reserve – Livingstone –
Zambia – Victoria Falls – Johannesburg

Side view of tourists in jeep looking at cheetah lying on log

The best of Egypt, a good look at Cairo, Giza and a 5-day cruise along the Nile, then on to South Africa. Embark on thrilling game drives in MalaMala game reserve, one of the largest private Big 5 game reserves in Southern Africa, a Sundowner cruise on the mighty Zambezi river, fly to Livingstone in Zambia to visit one of the original natural wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls and on to Africa’s most cosmopolitan city on Table Bay, Cape Town. This is truly an experience for those who have been dreaming to see and enjoy the ultimate African tour from Cairo all the way to Cape Town. This combination of cosmopolitan Cape Town, Victoria Falls and the Safaris. a true diverse itinerary offering an array of Southern Africa’s finest travel experiences.

Tour

DAY 1: CAIRO – Tour Starts Weekly in Cairo – Saturday
VIP Meet & Greet At Cairo Airport
Arrive in Cairo. Visa may be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport. VIP Meet & Greet At Cairo Airport. Our representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order, valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room with our compliments. Click here for a map of Egypt.

Sample deluxe hotels: Four Seasons Nile Plaza, Fairmont Hotel, Inter.Continental, Sheraton, Hilton or similar.
First Class: Novotel or similar.

DAY 2: Giza Pyramids – The Sphinx – Dahshour Pyramids Field – Complimentary Home Hosted Dinner – Sunday (BL)
Private air-conditioned Vehicle. Private Chauffeur. Private Egyptologist.
Breakfast is included, as always, at your hotel. Lunch is included at the legendary Mena House Hotel with the Giza Pyramids serving as 5000 years old background. Your exploration of ancient Giza begins today! After breakfast we’ll motor to the edge of the Sahara to visit: Giza Pyramids, the mysterious Sphinx and the Museum of Cheops ‘s Royal Yacht, the oldest and only known surviving Royal Barge from Ancient Egypt (the Pharaoh’s Solar Boat Museum). The museum is built over the rectangular pit that housed the Royal Barge for thousands of years. The wooden boat was readied for the king’s daily journey with the sun god, Ra . Discovered in 1954, in a completely dismantled state, the 43-metre (140-foot) cedar boat is a rare window on the Royal boats used by the kings of Ancient Egypt.

Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid – to the King’s Chamber. Your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (included) is entirely your own choice!

After lunch we continue to Dahshour, the pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structures:

We head back to your hotel late afternoon.

This evening for guests who enjoy meeting the locals:
This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo! You’ll be invited to a family dinner and, while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening having dinner with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town).

DAY 3: CAIRO – Monday (BLD)
Private air condition car for your tour today. Private chauffeur.
This is a very full day. Your exploration of ancient Cairo continues today! We’ll start after breakfast with the Egyptian Museum. Here you’ll see the treasures of the ancient pharaohs: Mummies Hall is included, statuary, and precious stones and metals. Travelers have long come to Cairo just to gaze on these sights alone. But there’s more, on we go to the Coptic & Jewish ancient quarter including the Coptic Museum, Beni Ezra Synagogue and the spot where it is believed that “Baby Moses” was found by the Egyptian Queen entourage. After lunch Egyptian-style, we’ll enjoy a walking tour of the ancient Khan El Khalili Bazaar district and Moez Le-deenallah or Al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah 10-Century newly restored street and district. Conclude a memorable day as we host you on a Nile dinner cruise complete with exotic Egyptian entertainment.

DAY 4: ASWAN, (or Luxor) – Board Your Nile Cruise – Tuesday (BLD)
We fly to Aswan (or Luxor) and board our Nile cruiser in time for a delicious lunch. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin. In the afternoon we enjoy a leisurely sail by graceful felucca on the Nile, for guests who are interested: a short camel caravan and ride for almost half an hour to visit a local Nubian Village. Evening horse-drawn carriage ride throughout Aswan waterfront and local souks.

Sample Nile Cruise or similar:

Deluxe – Sonesta Star Goddess, Movenpick Radamis II (Luxor), Movenpick Royal Lotus (Aswan) or similar.
First – Presidential Admiral/Symphony, or similar.

DAY 5: ASWAN – KOM OMBO -Wednesday (BLD)
First we tour new Nubian Museum then the awesome Aswan dams, and next an ancient granite quarry complete with an unfinished obelisk. Then we go by motor launch to the island temples of Philae. Re-embarking on our Nile cruiser, we sail downstream to Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples.

DAY 6: EDFU – ESNA – Thursday (BLD)
We moor in Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt’s best-preserved temple. Re-embarking, we cruise to Esna and its great temple dedicated to Khnum, the creator-god. Evening finds us in Luxor.

DAY 7: LUXOR – Friday (BLD)
We tour today the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the great temple of Queen Hatshepsut, on to Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum and the Ancient Workers Village, we stop at the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to our cruise.

Today, as well, we will visit Deir El Medinah, on Luxor’s west bank, where you get a totally different perspective on ancient Egyptian life at the ancient workers’ settlement of Deir el-Medinah. While most of the imposing stone monuments and sites of Egypt honor the lives and after-lives of royalty, Deir el-Medinah gives us unique and surprising insights into the ordinary citizens who constructed and decorated the tombs.

DAY 8: LUXOR – CAIRO – Complimentary Belly Dance Instruction Class – Saturday (BD)
The gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and the mighty Temple of Luxor are our goals in the morning, followed by a return flight to Cairo. In the afternoon, wander through the city on your own, or do your last-minute shopping. For interested guests, please join us for a late afternoon one hour belly dance class (please book at the time you are making your reservation with us).

Dinner is included at the “Zitouni” restaurant.

Zitouni Restaurant

Zitouni Restaurant offers authentic Egyptian food, you can order up shish barak and finish it off with homemade keshta ice cream. Take a seat in the main dining area and enjoy stunning views of the Nile or settle into one of the contemporary wood alcoves for a more intimate option. An extensive buffet display situated near the open kitchen.

Day 9: CAIRO – Johannesburg, South Africa – Sunday Dec 3 (B)
Our representative will escort you to the airport for your Egypt air flight very early in the morning. Arrive Johannesburg in AM. Flying in business class, tax included: Cairo to JNB. Airport transfers are always on a private basis. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur. Click here for a map of South Africa.

You’re transferred to Cape Grace Hotel, one of the finest country hotels in South Africa. Set in hills surrounding Rietpoort Valley, it is home to abundant bird life, cascading waterfall, stone-age relics, and a 400-year-old olive tree. Guests are welcomed with tasteful furnishings and impeccable service. Enjoy the balance of day at leisure. Overnight: Cape Grace Hotel.

Cape Town is one of the world’s most beautiful cities and a top international destination. Large numbers of tourists flock to Cape Town to enjoy this unique city with its fascinating history, interesting culture, natural beauty, award winning wines and laid back lifestyle. Whether you are a serious tourist or just want to lie on the beach and enjoy life, Cape Town will satisfy your needs.

Day 10: Monday – Cape Grace Hotel, Cape Town (B)
Breakfast is always included at your hotel. Enjoy today at your own leisure, with time to explore Cape Town. Overnight Cape Grace hotel.

Recommended optional tours, available at additional cost: Table Mountain. Robben Island. Cape Winelands.

Day 11: Tuesday – Cape Grace Hotel, Cape Town (B)
Today after breakfast, you will be collected and taken on a full day tour of the Cape Peninsula: Cape Point Tour: Full Day. You will visit the most iconic sights of the Peninsula: Highlights of a trip down to Cape Point include; one of the world’s most spectacular drives, Hout Bay, Chapman’s Peak, Noordhoek Beach, the Cape Point Nature Reserve, two lighthouses on the tip of Africa, Boulders Penguin Colony, Simonstown, Kalk Bay and the

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Overnight Cape Grace hotel.

Day 12-14: Wednesday to Friday (BLD)
MalaMala Main Camp, Sabi Sand Game & MalaMala Game Reserves
After breakfast, you will be collected and transferred to Cape Town Int Airport for your flight to Skukuza. Upon arrival at Skukuza Airport, you will be met by a Mala Mala representative and transferred to the lodge, where you will stay the next 3 nights. Upon check in, the lodge staff will confirm the daily itinerary with you. For the Mala Mala Main Camp Stay Duration: Included: All meals and snacks. Game drives in open vehicles with qualified rangers. Nature walks. Laundry: max 10 items per room per day.

Overnight Mala Mala Main Camp.

Day 13: Thursday (BLD)
Sabi Sand Game Reserve – MalaMala Main Camp
The Mala Mala lodge staff will confirm the daily itinerary with you. Overnight Mala Mala Main Camp.

MalaMala is one of the largest private Big 5 game reserves in Southern Africa. Her worldwide renown is due to the uncompromising high standard of service, sound conservation management policies and the finest, most consistent game viewing on the sub-continent. Situated in the northeastern reaches of South Africa in the province of Mpumalanga, the superior game viewing is a result of sheer size of the reserve which covers an exclusive area of 13 200 hectares (33 000 acres) and shares a common boundary of 19km (12 miles) with the Kruger National Park, making it part of a greater trans-frontier conservation area that covers over 2,2 million hectares (5.5 million acres) of land in the heart of the South African Lowveld.

Day 14: Friday (BLD)
MalaMala Main Camp, Sabi Sand Game Reserve
The Mala Mala lodge staff will confirm the daily itinerary with you. Overnight Mala Mala Main Camp.

Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve
The Sabi Sands is South Africa’s premier private game viewing destination. It was here that the southern African safari began and today this famous reserve offers exceptional game viewing and equally exceptional accommodations. Two perennial rivers, the Sabi and the Sand flow through this Game Park, sustaining the diverse fauna and flora of the area. The success of leopard viewing within the Sabi Sands is legendary. Elephants, lion, rhino, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and a vast variety of antelope and other species can be closely observed in their natural environment.

Day 15: Saturday (B)
The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara, Livingstone (Victoria Falls)
One of the original natural wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls is a World Heritage Site and an extremely popular tourism attraction. Known locally as ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ this spectacle is accessible from both Zambia and Zimbabwe and it is an ideal place to combine game viewing and water sports. There is excellent fishing, a terrifying bungee jump and arguably the best commercial white water rafting in the world.

Early morning you will be transferred to the airstrip for your scheduled flight from Mala Mala Airstrip to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. Upon arrival make your way to connect with your regional flight to Livingstone, Zambia. Upon arrival in Livingstone, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Check in and enjoy the balance of the day at your own leisure. Overnight: The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara

Day 16: Sunday (B)
Group Guided Tour – Livingstone & Victoria Falls:
After breakfast this morning, you will be met for a group guided walking tour of the Victoria Falls, on the Zambian side: A view of the Victoria Falls is something you will never forget and the best way to see them is on a guided tour. Discover how the Falls were formed and what local customs and traditions surround them. Then on to:Mukuni Village Tour: Mukuni village is close to the border gate and is home villagers from the Leya community. Guides are available to take you through the village to get an insight into the traditional lifestyle of rural Africans.

Livingstone Historical Tour: Livingstone was an important town in southern Africa during the first days of European settlement, we will learn about its past and tour the David Livingstone and the Railway Museums. Return to your hotel to freshen up, before being collected for a Sundowner cruise on the Zambezi Queen on the mighty Zambezi river. Return to your hotel early evening. Overnight Anantara Royal Livingstone.

Victoria Falls. Video by valpard.

Day 17: Monday (B)
The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara, Livingstone (Victoria Falls)
Enjoy today at your own leisure. Overnight Anantara Royal Livingstone.

Day 18: Tuesday (B)
Fly Back to South Africa and Johannesburg

Johannesburg is one of Africa’s biggest and most vibrant cities. It is the economic capital of Africa and the gateway to Southern Africa, there is plenty to do in Johannesburg and nearby Pretoria. The old city is a multi-cultural mixture of traditional medicine shops, Chinese restaurants, taxi ranks and ultra modern skyscrapers.The shopping is Southern Africa’s best and the many restaurants cater for all tastes. The nearby township of Soweto is Johannesburg’s most popular tourist attraction.

Fly back to South Africa: Enjoy breakfast, before being collected and transferred to the airport, for your flight back to Johannesburg. Upon arrival in Johannesburg, you will be met and transferred to your hotel, where you will spend the evening. Overnight: Hotel 54 on Bath.

Day 19: Wednesday (B) Departure
Today you will be transferred to Oliver R Tambo Int. Airport, in time for your onward flight. Bon Voyage!

Remember, because there is limited space on the safari vehicle, ONE medium sized bag (soft luggage preferred) is allowed on the safari vehicle per person, plus your carry on.

Cost per person from Cairo Deluxe Hotels and Nile Cruise Business Class Air Fare within Egypt
Sharing in double Occupancy:	$12,850. USD
In single Occupancy:	$16,170. USD
Sorry, no triple occupancy room on Safaris.

Cost per person from Cairo First Class – Four Stars Hotels and Nile Cruise Economy Class Air Fare within Egypt
Sharing in double Occupancy:	$10,395. USD
In single Occupancy:	$13,460. USD
Sorry, no triple occupancy room on Safaris.

For Christmas/New Year’s week (Dec 20 – Jan 2) add 10% to any of the above the rate. For Easter (2 week season), please add %10 supplement to any of the listed rates.

INCLUDED:

Airfare from CAIRO to Johannesburg, in business class for Deluxe and economy class for first class with tax included.
Regional and domestic air fare in South Africa as well as regional air fare South Africa / Zambia, Livingston / South Africa in economy class with tax included.
All airfares in business class within Egypt for deluxe, and economy class air fare for first class hotel category.
All transfers within Egypt and South Africa on a private basis.
Deluxe or First Class hotel accommodation based on your choice with tax & service charges.
Deluxe or First Class Nile Cruise based on your choice with all meals.
Private guide and private air-conditioned vehicle for Cairo, Giza and the Nile cruise shore excursions as well as the full dat tour in Cape Town.
The tours in Livingstone (Victoria Falls) is on a shared basis, as well as the Safaris/game activities.
Pre-set menu meals including B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast) L = Lunch, D = Dinner as listed for each day in the itinerary.
Daily accommodations as shown in the itinerary with all hotel taxes and service charges.
All hotel /airport private transfers as indicated.
Transportation in air-conditioned coaches/vehicles, yet game drives in open 4-wheel drive safari vehicles, conducted by experienced rangers and trackers.
All sightseeing, game viewing, entrance fees and park fees as indicated in the itinerary.
For the Mala Mala Main Camp Stay Duration: Included: All meals and snacks . Group Game drives in open vehicles with qualified rangers. Nature walks. Laundry – max 10 items per room per day.
VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport.
Egyptian Visa (visa may be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport). Our representative will greet you at the airport and whisk you to your hotel. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU, Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel.

NOT INCLUDED:

Any international airport departure taxes (unless already included in your international airfare).
International airfare from/to your home country.
Visa fees for South Africa.
Visa fees for Zambia.
Personal expenses including but not limited to beverages, laundry, communication costs, excess baggage fees (baggage is restricted to 26 lbs (Modify as required) per person in a soft sided bag where charter flights are included).
Traveler’s insurance (the purchase of travel insurance is suggested to protect your investment in case of unanticipated curtailment or cancellation of your tour).
Medical expenses, medical insurance (passenger must show proof of Travel insurance that is covering medical emergencies while on the tour).
Gratuities to drivers, guides or tour managers.
Please note that tipping is discretionary, however, the following guidelines are provided: $5-$10 per day for guides; $3-$5 per day for local camp; hotel housekeeping; Nile Cruise staff, e.g. waiters, housekeepers, which is a communal tip that is shared among the staff); porters – $1; driver – $2-$5); restaurant waiters/waitresses – 10% of bill.

Prices are subject to change due to currency fluctuations, increase in fuel prices, or other fees imposed by the government or tourism industry not within our control.

General Information:

Passport & Visas
Visitors to Africa must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended departure date, together with onward travel documents, proof of accommodation and sufficient funds for the duration of the stay. In addition, each country the client may be visiting generally requires at least 2 consecutive/side by side blank pages on entry for both visas and stamps. Should the clients’ itinerary include more than one country, excluding the country of departure and return, please ensure that you have a sufficient number of blank visa pages (not endorsement pages) in the passport. Should there be insufficient blank pages in the passport then entry into a country could be denied.

Any applicable visas, costs and/or relevant documentation are client’s responsibility. Please verify with the relevant consulate concerning visa entry requirements and, if extending the journey to other countries, visa entry requirements for those countries need to be established as well. Ensure that you have all necessary visas prior to departure from the home country (unless these can be obtained on arrival) Travelinstyle.com, USA staff, local vendors and staff cannot be held liable should entry be denied.

Categories Africa, Egypt, EgyptSouthAfrica_multi, South Africa

The Near East and The Levant
(24 Days)

by kathy

March 24th, 2013

Egypt, Jordan and a Foray into Jerusalem
A Grand 24-day In-depth Tour of the Gems of the Levant

Indiana Jones himself couldn’t squeeze more adventure into this journey to Alexandria, Cairo, Memphis, Sakkara and the Pyramids, a cruise on the Nile, the fabled temples and tombs of Luxor and Thebes, diving in the Red Sea, the mountains of Sinai, and a trek to the mysterious ruins of Petra in Jordan. Then, to top it all, a foray into the Holy land and Jerusalem.

Tour

DAY 1 – CAIRO: Wednesday – Weekly – Year Round
VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport
Our local representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. VIP Meet & Greet Service at Cairo Airport.

Visa fee is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for: Australian, NZ, American, EU, Canadian & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.

Visa will be issued upon arrival. As you exit the gate, you will pass through a door or two, down some stairs, then walk for 2-5 minutes, until you pass the duty free shops, at the end of a wide corridor, you will see the security officers. There you will be met by a local representative, who will be holding a sign with your name.

Our local representative will then take your passport to obtain a stamp from the cashier / bank window and escort you to speak with the passport officer. He will escort you through another last check on your passport as you exit the passport control, into customs area, he will assist you in collecting your luggage and clearing customs. After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel.

Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastry awaits you in your room with our compliments. Sample Deluxe Hotels or similar: Cairo Marriott, Hilton, Cairo Conrad, InterContinental Hotels or similar.

DAY 2 – Alexandria: Thursday (BL)
Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch box will be prepared by your chef, including bottled water.

We leave Cairo: private air conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur. We drive across northern Egypt & the Nile Delta heading northwest for Alexandria. Full day tour of the National Museum, the Catacombs, the Roman Amphitheater, Qayet Bey Fortress. Qayet Bey Fort was built on the same site of the ancient wonder of the world: the famous Alexandria Light House. Return to the hotel and get ready for an evening walking tour of el Raml city center and dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 3 – Alexandria- Cairo: Friday (BLD)
Breakfast at leisure at the hotel. A brief stop at ” El Selsela” the site of the Underwater reserve where Cleopatra Place was discovered, as well as Caesar Kiosk. Then it’s off to the new site for the Alexandria Library. Lunch at a local restaurant before heading to Wadi El Natroun monastery almost midway to Cairo, where early Coptic Christians retreated here to escape the Roman persecution in the 4th century AD. The Egyptian Pope of Alexandria is always chosen from the Monks of wadi El Natroun. Reach Cairo early evening and your hotel, where dinner awaits you.

DAY 4 – CAIRO – Dahshour, Memphis, Sakkara: Saturday (BL)
A morning tour takes us to the time capsule treasure of Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo: DAHSOUR – we’ll motor to the edge of Cairo, to Dahshour, the pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structures.

The “Discovery” of Dahshour:
For almost half a century, the great field of huge pyramids near the desert village of Dahshour, 25 miles south of Cairo, has been off limits to the public. Confined within the perimeter of a military base were many pyramids, including the great 4500-year-old pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops. Senfru’s pyramid, the largest in Egypt until his son built Giza’s Great Pyramid, is rhomboidal in shape: it tapers more distinctly on its upper half. All the pyramids were coated in thick plaster at one time. Most have lost these protective, decorative sheaths, but Senfru’s–miraculously–is still in place.

After lunch at a local restaurant: The afternoon is for Memphis and Sakkara, including the Step Pyramid of Zoser and Nobles tombs/Mastabas, as well as Imhotep small yet charming Museum. Dinner is included at La Bodega restaurant.

DAY 5 – CAIRO – Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show – Home Hosted Dinner: Sunday (BL)
Morning tour to Giza and the mysteries of the Pyramids and Sphinx, including the Solar Boat Museum.

Lunch is included at the Mena House. In the evening, we return to the Pyramids for an awe-inspiring sound-and-light show.

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town). This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Cairo! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 6 – CAIRO: Monday (BLD)
Your exploration of the ancient world begins today! First stop is the Egyptian Museum, with its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones and metals. We’ll also stop at the Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque. Lunch is included at Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant or similar. Afternoon walking tour of Muizz Ledeenallah and Khan El-Khalili districts. Back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at Zeitouni at the Four Seasons Hotel.

DAY 7 – ASWAN ABU SIMBEL: Tuesday (BLD)
Abu Simbel excursion: After an early breakfast, we head for the airport and your flight to Abu Simbel, via Aswan. Lunch Box will be prepared by your chef including bottled water.
In Abu Simbel: You’ll have your own private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide waiting for you at the airport.

We head for the temples site over looking Lake Nasser:
In the larger temple, colossal figures of Ramses are seated with the gods and attended by his queen and daughters. The smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari, who appears as Hathor, the goddess of love, joy and fertility, symbolized by the benevolent cow. We explore these fine temple, after which we fly back to Aswan, and your hotel. Dinner is included at a local restaurant.

DAY 8 – ASWAN – Board Your Nile Cruise: Wednesday (BLD)
After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy your morning at leisure, before we head to your Nile Cruise around noon time, where we settle you into your cabin on your Nile steamer. We’ll visit the enormous dams at Aswan, then board a launch on to visit the Temples island of Philae, dedicated to the Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Isis, that was later worshiped in Rome as well as Ancient Greece, the temple was rescued from rising waters and reassembled on this island. In the evening your guide will call on your for a horse drawn carriage ride to explore Aswan souks and water front.

DAY 9 – KOM OMBO – On Board Your Nile Cruise: Thursday (BLD)
We cruise northward down the Nile today, at a stately pace, disembarking for a visit to Kom Ombo, the twin temple dedicated to the crocodile river god, Sobek. We’ll also see Haroeris, the solar disk.

DAY 10 – EDFU – Esna and LUXOR- On Board Your Nile Cruise: Friday (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages or vans meet us at riverside to take us through Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt, on to Esna, our tour includes a visit to Esna Temple. Then we’ll continue beside the Nile to take in an array of ancient splendors: touring the Valley of the Kings; the imposing tomb-temple of Queen Hatshepsut; and Colossi of Memnon.

DAY 11 – LUXOR: Saturday (B)
After breakfast. Check-out and proceed to tour the mighty temple complex at Karnak including the White Chapel, as well as Luxor Museum and Luxor Temple. We tour as well on the West Bank: Medinet Habu, Deir El Medinet and the Ramesseum. Sample deluxe Hotels or similar: Old Winter Palace – Nile View room, or the Steinberger Hotel, Nile View room. In the evening your guide will call on you for a horse-drawn carriage ride throughout Luxor souks and water front.

DAY 12- Cairo – SHARM EL SHEIK – RED SEA: Sunday (B)
Now that you’ve seen the best of the Egypt of the Pharaohs, our guides escort you to the airport. You’ll fly over the Delta and connect in Cairo an on to the Sinai Peninsula and land at historic Sharm El Sheik on the Red Sea. You’re at the beach and free to swim, or explore under the waters.

DAY 13 – SHARM EL SHEIK: Monday (B)
Relax! Today is set aside as a strategic mid-journey break. Spend some time in the sun, but don’t miss your chance to snorkel or dive under Red Sea waters for an array of coral and glittering tropical fish.

DAY 14 – SHARM EL SHEIKH: Tuesday (BL)
Another day in paradise! enjoy the beach or join us for a complimentary tour: Our knowledgeable guides arrange a pre-dawn departure into the still-cool wilderness of Sinai, through which Moses led the Children of Israel to the Promised Land. Our goal is the Monastery of St. Catherine, built of rock at the base of Mount Sinai, at the site of the Burning Bush. We tour the monastery, rich in history, icons and sacred paintings, then return to Sharm El Sheik.

DAY 15 – Sharm El Sheikh, PETRA: Wednesday (B)
We’ll fly to Amman via Cairo or non-stop Sharm El-Sheikh Amman, air fare is included in our rate in economy class, tax included, our Jordan-based representative waits to greet you. You’ll drive south under a towering ridge of mountains, and arrive at your hotel in Petra for the night.

Petra – City of Mysteries. Video by visit Jordan.

DAY 16 – PETRA: Thursday (BD)
We’ll spend the entire day at Petra, the stunning desert city hewn by the Nabateans from solid cliffs of pink and violet sandstone. Petra was known in the bible as Sela, and rediscovered only in 1812. You’ll feel like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark as you penetrate into the city through a narrow sandstone gorge, the Siq, and wander among the Temple of the Winged Lion, tombs, Roman theater, and the imposing Treasury.

In the evening we will call on you for a unique experience — dine as a local: The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza (appetizers), salads, and a main course—all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

Tour experience tonight includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

DAY 17 – PETRA – WADI RUM: Friday (BL)
After breakfast at the hotel, we board four-wheel-drive vehicles for an expedition to Wadi Rum, the “Valley of the Moon” where T. E. Lawrence (“Lawrence of Arabia”) organized Arab resistance to Ottoman rule during World War I. After our visit, we break for tea with the bedouins, then head north. We will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

DAY 18 – JERASH: Saturday (BL)
After breakfast at the hotel, we head north, we enjoy lunch enroute. Today we tour Jerash, among the best-preserved Roman cities in the world, to tour its temples, theaters, churches and colonnaded streets. From Jerash, we will escort you back to Amman and your hotel.

DAY 19 – MADABA, KERAK: Sunday (BL)
Full day includes: Madaba to visit the church containing the oldest known map of Palestine and the Holy Land. Continuing to Mount Nebo, we enjoy the panoramic view of the Promised Land the way Moses saw it for the first time. Further on, at Kerak, we tour the ruins of its romantic Crusaders’ castle of Renaud de Chatillon, one of a line which stretched from Aqaba to Turkey. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. Head back to Amman and your hotel.

DAY 20 – Jordan – Cross the border into the Holy land – Jerusalem: Monday (B)
Our Amman -based representative will call for you after breakfast and see you to the borders, where you’ll board another private vehicle and on to Jerusalem and your hotel. No Visa is required for US citizens and major EU countries, if you are in doubt, please check with the nearest Israeli Consulate. You’ll have the rest of this day to discover Jerusalem on your own… the crowds along Ben Yehuda Street, the new City Hall, the walls of the Old City illuminated at dusk, the gleaming Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem lives up to every expectation! expectation! Sample Deluxe: American Colony Hotel or similar.

DAY 21 – Tuesday – OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM (B)
Private air-conditioned vehicle. Private chauffeur – Private Guide. Our visit to the Old City starts with a walk through the reconstructed Jewish Quarter. We’ll visit the newly excavated Cardo, a Roman promenade, and proceed to the Western Wall, all that remains of the Second Temple. Nearby is the Dome of the Rock, one of the holiest places of Islam. We will follow in the footsteps of Jesus along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, passing bazaars where brass ware, embroidered dresses and inlaid woodwork are on offer.

DAY 22 – Tuesday – BETHLEHEM (B)
Private air-conditioned vehicle. Private chauffeur – Private Guide. We’ll depart Jerusalem in for Bethlehem, to visit the Church of the Nativity, the site of Jesus’ birth. We’ll also stop at Rachel’s Tomb before returning to Jerusalem. Remainder of the day on your own.

Day 23 – Wednesday – Jerusalem – sightseeing of the new city (B)
Private air-conditioned vehicle. Private chauffeur – Private Guide. Drive to Mt. Scopus for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. On to the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of the Agony. Drive to Mt. Zion for a visit to the tomb of King David, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. Sightseeing in the new city including the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea scrolls, new Supreme Court bldg. Mt. Herzl, then visit the model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Afternoon visit of the Hadassah medical center in the synagogue with Marc Chagall stained glass windows, then via Ein Karem (the birth place of John the Baptist). Return to Hotel.

DAY 24 – Thursday- DEPARTURE (B)
We’ll escort you to the airport to catch your homeward-bound flight. Salam.

RATES per person in USD

	Deluxe	First Class	Tourist Class
Triple	US$ 7810.	US$ 7020.	US$ 6412.
Double	US$ 7900.	US$ 7110.	US$ 6500.
Single	US$ 9800.	US$ 9350.	US$ 8590.

For Easter (2 weeks season),
Christmas, New Year’s (Dec 20 – Jan 3)
15% supplement will apply.

Sample 5-stars Deluxe Nile Cruises:
M/S Monaco, M/S Monte Carlo, M/s Mojito, Movenpick M/S Royal Lilly. M/s Queen of Hansa, M/S Beau Soleil, M/S Adonis

Inclusions:

All transfers, always on a private basis, private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
All tips to your drivers, guides, crew on board the cruise etc.
Domestic flights within Egypt, as well air fare Cairo Amman in economy class with tax included.
Air-conditioned hotel accommodations with tax and service charges
Sightseeing with professional guide and entrance fees as indicated, private touring, private guide in Cairo, Jerusalem and Jordan.
Meals as indicated, with pre-set menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
Lonely Planet guidebook to Jordan, Palestine/Israel and Egypt
Nile cruise as listed, including all shore excursions and entrance fees, all touring on the cruise is a group tour, unless you request a private car & private guide (supplement applies), while on board the cruise, expect to be part of a 10-15 English speaking group, we do not mix languages while touring. The boats accommodate 120-130 guests from all over the world.
While on board the cruise: Large bottle of water (per person), delivered daily to your cabin on board the Nile cruise.
Small bottle of water (per person) with each meal, while you are on board the Nile Cruise.
Tea or coffee with each meal while you are on board the Nile cruise
In Jordan: For your convenience: Wi-Fi internet access and mineral water with soft drinks are available in Jordan on board of all the vehicle for our VIP guests
Jordanian departure tax.
Visa fee for Egypt is included and will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport (no photos required) for: Australian, NZ, American, EU, Mexican, South African, South Korean, Canadian & Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order, valid for at least for 6 months beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.
Visa for Jordan. Limited to specific nationalities such as: Australian, NZ, USA, Canada, EU, Japan and others (please check with us if needed at the time of booking).
VIP Meet and Greet Service upon arrival on Day 1 at Cairo Airport.

Not included:

Personal expenses and beverages
Additional meals and services
Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
International air fares from/to your home country

The White Chapel at Karnak

Currently reconstructed in the Karnak Open Air Museum, the White Chapel of Senusret IV, also referred to as the Jubilee chapel of Senusret I, was built during the Middle Kingdom of Egypt. During the New Kingdom it was demolished and used as filler for the Third Pylon of the temple of Karnak, Precinct of Amun-Re.

In 1927 the dismantled pieces were found inside the Third Pylon of the main temple, constructed in the time of Amenhotep III, at Karnak, and between 1927 and 1930 all of the pieces were carefully removed. These pieces were then assembled into the building that is seen today.

The white Chapel is made of a hard white rock called alabaster. Its columns hold reliefs of a very high quality, which are hardly seen elsewhere at Karnak, and depicts Pharaoh Senusret being crowned and embraced by Amun, Horus, Min and Ptah.

All along the base of the outer walls runs a series of reliefs depicting the Sepat (Gr: Nome) [Provinces] ensigns and deities; on the western side the ones for Upper Egypt, on the eastern the ones for Lower Egypt.

Sample Hotels (or similar) in Jerusalem

Jerusalem Hotel: First class – Four stars Category
Quiet European elegance, comfort, and affordability meet in the Jerusalem Gold Hotel to create a hidden sanctuary amid the overwhelming blaze of history, diversity, and faith that is Jerusalem.

Sample Deluxe Hotel in Jerusalem

The American Colony Hotel Jerusalem:
The American Colony Hotel, a landmark fairytale get-away in the heart of Jerusalem, has been providing its luxurious hospitality services for more than 120 years. Personified by classic Arabian arches, elaborate furnishings and opulent suites, this elegant boutique hotel prides itself in offering guests an enchanting ‘east-meets-west’ experience in a distinctively tranquil and romantic setting. With state-of-the-art amenities for business and leisure travelers and the bygone grandeur of royalty in the Pasha’s suite, the American Colony’s ambience and splendour enchants its guests with the ultimate blend of modern conveniences and old world charm. Its lush gardens, world-class restaurants and quintessential style, have earned the American Colony its distinguished reputation as an ‘oasis’ where timeless elegance meets contemporary facilities to provide new and returning guests of all ages with an extraordinary experience.

The hotel is within walking distance of all of Jerusalem’s major sights and within ten minutes of the Damascus Gate in the Old City, about a 45 minute drive from the airport outside Tel Aviv. The American Colony Hotel. One Louis Vincent St, Jerusalem 97200

Categories Egypt, EgyptJordan_multi, IndianaJones_multi, Israel, Jordan

The Best of the Near East (14 Days)

by kathy

November 14th, 2012

The Highlights of the Levant and the Near East
Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Israel
A 14 –Day Adventure tour

Come and tour the 1001 Arabian Nights of the Near East. You will start with the throbbing capital of Egypt exploring key sites both within the city and nearby. Then it’s on to the old –new land of Luxor, the Ancient Capital of the first United Kingdom. Egypt was originally divided into two kingdoms, that was united by Ahmos I creating a United Kingdom in the Nile Valley.

Tour

DAY 1 – Monday – Weekly – Year Round – CAIRO – VIP Meet & Greet Service
Our representative greets you at Cairo airport and whisks you to your hotel. VIP Meet & Greet Service. Visa will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exit the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. A welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastries await you in your room with our compliments.

DAY 2 –Tuesday Tour CAIRO – Tour Coptic Cairo – Home Hosted Dinner (BL)
We start with the best of Cairo: the Egyptian Museum, Manial Palace of the former Crown Prince Mohamed Ali, Citadel of Saladin and its Alabaster Mosque. After lunch, we walk the narrow streets of Old Cairo, once a Roman fort, later the Jewish Quarter, then the Coptic Christian Quarter. We visit the Coptic churches of Abu Serghius and Al Molaka, the Coptic Museum, and Ben Ezra synagogue. Finally, we wander through the alleys of Khan el –Khalili bazaar in search of souvenirs.

DAY 3 – Wednesday CAIRO (BL)
In the morning, we visit the majestic pyramids of Giza, the Valley Temple and the timeless Sphinx. Those who are fit and adventurous enough may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King’s Chamber. Your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (included) is entirely your own choice!

After lunch we drive to Dahshour, the newly–opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit several ancient structures, including the great pyramid built by Senfru, father of Cheops.

DAY 4 – Thursday: LUXOR – CAIRO (BL)
We enjoy an early breakfast before we head for the airport and fly to Luxor, upon arrival your private guide will be waiting for you and then we we cross the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings and the Colossi of Memnon. After lunch in Luxor, we tour the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and visit the Sacred Lake. We have a quick look at the great temple of Amon Ra at Luxor on our way to the airport for our flight back to Cairo, and our hotel.

Day 5 – Friday – Cairo – Amman – Petra: (BL)
Fly to Amman, on to Petra: air ticket is included in our rate in economy class, tax included. Our local rep. meets you at the airport and assist with your visa, issued on a complimentary basis for American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, Korean, Singaporean & Japanese citizens, your passport must be valid and in order. From the airport in Amman: We proceed in your private air –conditioned vehicle and with your private English speaking guide to Petra, lunch is included enroute, finally we reach your hotel, check –in and overnight in Petra.

Day 6 – Saturday – Petra: (BL)
A full day tour of Jordan’s most famous site, the rose –red city of Petra. Venture through the Siq (the gorge between two towering mountains) until you reach the treasury which, like the most of the structures at Petra, is carved into the rose –red Nubian sandstone. In the afternoon, drive back to Amman and your hotel.

DAY 7 – Sunday Amman – Tel Aviv (BL)
After breakfast, our local rep. escorts you to the border for your drive to Tel Aviv and your hotel and overnight. Please make sure that you have your passport in order, valid for at least 6 month beyond your arrival date and with visa (if needed for Israel). Change of vehicles at the border, and on to Tel Aviv and your hotel, lunch is included enroute.

Day 8 – MONDAY – Tel Aviv – Beersheva – Arad – Massada – Jerusalem (BL)
Leave Tel Aviv – via Ashdod – Ashkelon – Beersheba. A short visit to the Negev capital. Continue via Arad to Massada. Ascend by cable car to the fortress, which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod’s palaces, the synagogue, bathhouse, etc. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea. Descend for a possible “float” in the in the salty water of the world’s lowest place. Via Ein Gedi and Kalya, proceed to Jerusalem for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Video by UNESCO

Day 9 – TUESDAY – Jerusalem – sightseeing of the new city (BL)
Drive to Mt. Scopus for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. On to the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of the Agony. Drive to Mt. Zion for a visit to the tomb of King David, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. Sightseeing in the new city including the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea scrolls, new Supreme Court bldg. Mt. Herzl. Then visit the model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Afternoon visit of the Hadassah medical center in the synagogue with Marc Chagall stained glass windows, then via Ein Karem (the birth place of John the Baptist). Return to Hotel. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 10 – WEDNESDAY – Jerusalem – (Old City) – Bethlehem (BL)
Walk through one of the Gates to the walled Old City: the renewed Jewish Quarter; the Western Wall, the “Tunnel”, the Temple area; the colorful bazaars; Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue to Bethlehem to visit Rachel’s Tomb and the Church of the Nativity and return to Jerusalem for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 11 – THURSDAY – Jericho – Tiberias – Galilee (BL)
Leave Jerusalem, driving via Bethany to Jericho*, the oldest city in the world. Visit the excavations and then continue northward via Jordan Valley and the new settlements to Beit Shean. After a short visit proceed to Tiberias, the old center of Jewish learning. Drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue. Continue to a Kibbutz hotel for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 12 – FRIDAY – Upper Galilee and Golan Heights – Nazareth (BL)
Drive to the Golan Heights. Visit the former Syrian fortifications, Birkat Ram, and the Druze villages, Via Banias, source of the Jordan River. Proceed via Kiryat Shmone and the Hula Valley to Safed, city of the Kabala, to visit synagogue and the artists’ colony and then to Nazareth to visit the Christian Holy Sites. Return to the Kibbutz hotel for overnight. Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

Day 13 – SATURDAY – Acre – Haifa – Tel Aviv (B)
After Breakfast drive west to Acre for a visit of the old, famous Crusader stronghold and medieval fortifications. Continue to Haifa, sightseeing tour of Haifa, including the Bahai Shrine, Persian Garden and Mount Carmel for a panoramic view of the city. Proceed southwards to Caesarea to visit the Roman theater and the Crusader fortress. Continue south for a short city tour of Tel Aviv –Jaffa and to hotel for overnight. Breakfast

DAY 14 – Sunday DEPARTURE (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll escort you to the airport to catch your homeward –bound flight. Salam! For crossing back into Jordan, please add: $ 150 per person for the private transfer to the border, change of cars, and then a Jordanian sedan will meet you at the border and continue on to Amman or Petra.

Rates per person in US:
	Tourist class (3 stars hotels)	First class (4 stars hotels)	Deluxe (5 stars hotels)
Triple	$ 4450	$ 5035	$ 6060
Double	$ 4584	$ 5154	$ 6191
Single	$ 6050	$ 6759	$ 7440

Prices include:

All ground transportation, including service between airport and hotels
Meals as indicated, with preset menu (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
Guided sightseeing with professional guide and all admission fees
Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges
Air fare Cairo Amman in economy class, tax included
Domestic air & sleeper train tickets in Egypt. Economy class, tax included
Visa fee for Jordan for American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, Korean, Singaporean & Japanese citizens, your passport must be valid
Visa for Egypt will be issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian, EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens, You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. will meet you with a sign that carries your name, and will be waiting for you with the prepaid visa stamps to proceed to the passports control to stamp your passports, then you claim your luggage. After you clear the passport and customs formalities and exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you by private vehicle to the hotel. Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastries await you in your room with our compliments.

Not included:

Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
Visa for Israel ( if /when needed)

Categories Egypt, Egypt_multi, IndianaJones_multi, Israel, Jordan, Multi, Palestine

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